A Very Sad Tale
by datexan
Summary: This story takes place after the Tenchi OVA Series. Some time has passed and the crew takes a vacation on a resort planet, until things turn very sour. Complete 2802
1. Tunnel of Love?

Tenchi could not believe his luck, "Of all the places to go and she picked this one." He sighed heavily as he stood in line with Ryoko for a ride. This place he was at was similar to the fairs and amusement parks of Earth, but was contained on an entire continent on this world. The world's name he did not remember but Ayeka had said that after all the strange things going on back home on Earth they needed a break. The break she suggested was that they all go to this place an interstellar carnival, and just have some fun.

Since Ryo-Ohki could only hold so many in her it was decided that they go in Ayeka's ship since it was nearly full-grown. Washu had used her knowledge as well as Tsunami to accelerate the growth of Ry-Oul her space ship after it was destroyed so long ago. All of the girls had wanted to go and Tenchi and his father came along as well. Tenchi of coarse as the girls would not leave without him and Nobuyuki just to see something off earth for once.

Before they left Tenchi had somehow got Ryoko to agree to not fight with Ayeka and despite the many things the princess did to upset her she would not fight. Mainly it was for the prize that she said she wanted if she did not fight. Tenchi had already said to her, "anything you want, just no fighting," before he even thought about what she might ask for. And now here they were, standing in Line for the Tunnel of Love, Tenchi clad in black pants and a nice shirt clad also in a light jacket. Ryoko wore one of her favorite dresses that Tenchi had to admit she looked good in, but he was scared to tell her that. As she promised she had not fought with Ayeka for the entire two-day trip to the planet, she had not even said one cross word or even lifted a finger against Ayeka. For most of the day here nothing had gone wrong either, at least until she asked to collect on his promise.

As a boy he had gone to several carnivals and he had seen rides like this but being so young he was more interested in the other rides, but now he seemed doomed to ride this one, and with of all people, Ryoko. It wasn't that he hated her, but it was more of the thought of what she might do in there. He had to admit that since merging with Zero she had been much different and he felt different about her too, but he did not think it was love.

She and he had crept away from the others while they stood in line for a ride and he was surprised that Ayeka did not notice them leave. But now their turn was drawing close and he felt a dread building in him about it. Some girl in line behind him was going on about all the scary things in there and how she planned to hold onto some boy beside her to protect her. He could only imagine how Ryoko would use that to her advantage and hold on to him.

"Tenchi?" Ryoko's voice pulled his attention back to the present. "It's our turn."

"Huh, oh yea," he said weakly then climbed into the small craft with her. Immediately she leaned against him and the ride started. "This could not get any worse," he thought darkly to himself.

The ride started out slow and at first flowers and beautiful scenery surrounded them. But that soon changed. The images became darker and scarier, and he recalled how the girl in line had said that she was going to hold onto someone during those parts. And just like he feared Ryoko leaned her head against his chest. One thing his mind was able to latch onto as they rode through the tunnel is that this time she was not crushing him, merely resting against him. And while his mind considered the change he felt her move suddenly. His first thought was, "oh no," then changed to "what?"

Ryoko sat up straight and peered ahead of her with her face blank and emotionless. Tenchi soon heard something it was a laugh. Something seemed to be familiar yet distant about it. As they rounded the corner he saw it, the thing that was the fiercest creature in this tunnel. The thing that caused women to shriek and snuggle up to someone for protection. It was Ryoko. Before him baring their way was a lifelike replica of Ryoko. He watched as the image's hand glowed and then moved as if it tossed something. Behind him there was an explosion and he looked to see a replica of a building catch fire and collapse.

For her part Ryoko felt empty and alone. She has just come face to face with the most horrific thing that people could imagine and it was her. Nothing the replica did caught her attention, instead she stared straight ahead at the image of her. "I'm a demon," she thought darkly. Emptiness, loneliness and many other things began to well up in her as tears started to form. So wrapped up in her emptiness she did not notice the ride had ended.

"Excuse me miss." Said one of the ride attendants.

"Ryoko," Tenchi whispered to her. He called to her a few more times before attempting to lift her out of the seat himself. They had been sitting there for several minutes before he had come out of his thoughts and she had been there longer. Behind him were a number of angry patrons hollering for her to move.

Her keen ears soon heard the voice of a girl in line; "Wow that demon at the end must have really scared them. I was scared to death of it the first time…" The girl continued on but Ryoko broke down into tears.

"Ryoko," Tenchi's voice called again. Tenchi had felt horrible at this, he had said before that this could not get any worse but it steadily was getting worse. He felt like cringing away from himself at how horrible he felt for what he had thought would happen. Now he wondered how it must have been to find that people thought you were so evil and mean to make that. "Come on lets go somewhere else."

"No!" she shouted at him. The suddenness of her shout caused all to stop and look at her. "I'm just a demon, you saw it…" her voice cracked as tears flowed. She teleported to just above the ride and hovered there in the air surveying those around her, he wondered what she would do next and he feared that things might get even worse.

One girl spoke up pointing a trembling finger at Ryoko, "She looks just like the demon. Many of those around her gasped and the guy beside her tried to quiet her by saying that it was just a coincidence.

In a loud voice Ryoko told everyone present, "I am not a demon."

Tenchi then did the thing that he would wish later he could take back, he called her name a little too loud, "Ryoko, calm down."

Realization dawned on the crowd and several screamed, one foolish soul yelled above the rest, "She's the demon Ryoko!" More screams ensured and people began running for their lives, more than half of the peoples around suddenly vacated their spots running in terror. Tenchi took a look at them then focused on Ryoko. He could see the pain and anguish on her face as people fled in terror from her.

He at first thought she would attack but to his surprise and now terror she announced, "I'm leaving." She looked to the sky and mentally called fore Ryo-Ohki. In the distance the Demon ship Ryo-Ohki lot out a mournful wail and came speeding to them and she hovered above them all. Of those that were left some fell to the ground crying in terror and others that regained their ability to move left as fast as they could.

"Ryoko no!" Cried Tenchi. Ryoko looked down at him and said a silent goodbye and then left, her ship cried out mournfully then raced off into the air. Even after she had left the mournful cry of Ryo-Ohki could be heard echoing across the park.

Tenchi hit his knees weeping over what had just happened. He had at first not wanted to be here and especially not with her, but now that she had left he felt his heart had been ripped out and trampled on the floor. He could vaguely hear someone calling for security and he felt a great emptiness inside him now as well. As people screamed and ran from the place anger filled the emptiness inside him. He felt a hand placed on him and someone saying, "Sir, security is on the way and they want to speak with you."

He stood and faced the crowd; his eyes filled with the hate that welled up inside him. Turning he darkly regarded the attendants. "Good, tell them this ride is closed." They looked about confused for a moment before he added, "Permanently."

Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out the master key, the sword called Tenchi. A blue blade appeared out of it and the attendants stepped back. With a quick slash the car fell to pieces before him. But as he regarded the ride he noticed that he seemed to be growing taller. Looking down confirmed that he was not growing but rather floating in the air. His other hand was burning by now and when he looked and opened his hand a bluish ball appeared there. A dark and menacing grin appeared and he lobbed the ball at the ride.

As the ball tore through the supports and rails explosions were heard and metal was rent in two. He flung several more orbs at the ride before stopping and looking at the hilt to his sword. In the hilt remained her two gems. Taken from her by Yosho over seven hundred years ago. "Take me to her," he commanded of them then he too vanished.

When he disappeared he did not see or hear Washu calling for him as she was running towards him. She was followed closely by Ayeka, Sasami and Mihoshi. The four had reached the platform just as he vanished from before them. Washu had started trying to find them the moment Ryoko heard her image laughing. But at first she could not tell where they were. When Ryo-Ohki suddenly left them she began frantically trying to locate them.

What tipped them off were the panicked screams from patrons as they said a demon was in the park. She had gone up the path that people had run down in hopes that it was not too late. Ayeka was running behind her, as was Sasami. Mihoshi had not realized they had left at first but she soon caught up with them. Washu was running the fastest ahead of them, but when the explosions started she ran faster. The sounds were not the typical sounds that her daughters' energy blasts made; these were much more powerful and terrible. She had got there in time to see Tenchi floating in the air destroying a ride smiling darkly in a way that was not him at all, but she did not see her daughter nor could she feel her now.

So now Washu was on her knees with the two princesses flanking her on either side. None were smiling in this happy place. Mihoshi was looking around trying to find out what happened. She heard some people telling the guards that the demon Ryoko had appeared and then vanished. Then this other demon more horrible destroyed the ride. As she heard more she was soon ale to piece together this other more horrible demon was in fact Tenchi.

One of the larger guards approached her, "What do you know of these demons did you see them?"

She was silent at first and soon said, "I did not see any… I just kind of got here and… well I don't think they were demons."

"Yea right." He then addressed the other girls. "Do you know anything about those two?"

Ayeka was still stunned over this, as she would not have thought it strange to have Ryoko destroying things, but Tenchi? Her ears picked up a familiar laugh as things got strangely quiet. She looked over to see a mechanical Ryoko laughing menacingly and her eyes were glowing. This she thought was strange as anytime she had insulted Ryoko the pirate had dome massive damage to things around her, but this time it was Tenchi. As she stood there contemplating things she heard him finally after he had repeated his question several times. "Huh, oh… well I know them, at least I thought I knew them."

"You four are coming with me then." He then had them surrounded by guards and removed from there and taken to someplace where he hoped to get more information. But even as they left reporters arrived and began asking many people accounts of what happened. Before the four girls were escorted away many galactic reporters had spread the word that the demon Ryo-Ohki was flying through space with two demons inside, one was Ryoko and the other was a nameless male that caused massive destruction.


	2. Tenchi is Hurt

A Very Sad Tale Part 2

Ryo-Ohki raced from the planet with her mistress kneeling on the floor crying. The image of her laughing as people screamed replaying through her mind. The worst part was, she could not blame anyone for this. She did those thins, she destroyed and killed. She was that demon that drove people to run in terror just at her name. So caught up in her mental torment and pain that she failed to notice Ryo-Ohki calling out happily.

Before they could even leave the atmosphere Tenchi suddenly appeared on the bridge. As his feet touched down he heard Ryo-Ohki crying out and then saw Ryoko crying. He felt his heart being ripped out of his body as he saw her sitting there. She obviously did not notice him as she never allowed him to see her crying before. He felt empty and sick at what was happening and all he could think of was the look on her face as he heard people screaming then running away.

Immediately anger then hate filled him and everyone that he remembered screaming or speaking against her he hated. His hate grew to the point that he wished that he would have done more damage or maybe killed those that caused her this much pain. It seemed that the hatred he felt could not go any deeper, and he almost lost himself to it, at least until she fell forward. He had been a few feet behind her as she cried, and then she just suddenly toppled over. From exhaustion or what he did not know but before she hit the floor he had his arms wrapped around her and pulling her back towards him.

All of the hatred and anger melted away as he held her and for some time she did not even realize that anyone was there, let alone him. Ryo-Ohki continued to fly and let Tenchi take care of Ryoko, as she had tried, but at this moment her mistress needed arms that could hold her not a voice in her head.

Ryoko continued to face away from him with her hands covering her face. She had thought she was lying on the floor, and not still sitting up supported by two strong arms. The arms pulled her back against a body that was warm and caring. Both arms wrapped around her, one around her stomach and one across her right shoulder to meet the arm around her waist. The arms were connected to Tenchi who now kneeled behind her supporting her and pulling her to him.

Where his hands and arms met or touched her was of little concern to him mind right now. Instead he hoped that he might in some way help ease her pain. The exact amount he was unsure of, but he knew how he would feel to find out he was being used to scare people. With almost each tear that fell from her he felt more of himself falling apart from the inside out. He could not stand to see her like this and wished he knew of someway to pull her out of this. So all he could do was hold her tight against him and as he held her he could only wish it were enough.

While holding her all he could do was think, and he did a lot of thinking. He thought back over everything that had happened since meeting her. Opening her cave, breaking the seal, and then awakening the demon. That first time he saw her she was not how she looked now on the outside, but he knew she was hurting on the inside. He knew that when that flash went off she was going to kill him so he ran. Now he knew that the decision to run was hasty and if he could go back he would not run. But what was worse was when he first met her at his school. She had said she was going to take out her anger on him, but not kill him. 'I should have known,' he scolded himself. 'She was just angry and did not know how to handle it right, I, I shouldn't have called her a monster.'

Even as he thought that she cried harder, and he wished even more that he could change the past. Since that day he had thought only of himself and the trouble she caused and never did he consider how she must have felt. Not until Kagato stole her from him did he realize that he could not let her go. He had to save her, and that he did. For that brief moment when he held her on board the Soujya everything felt right, and he longed for that feeling again. But he dared not tell her, 'there was no telling what she might have done to me,' his mind told him. He had saved her then, and later he again went after her, but that time he was not the one to save her. 'Damn it! She could have died because of me!'

Unconsciously as he thought tat he held her closer and rested his head on her shoulder. Over and over his mind played out every scene that happened over the time he knew her. There were few times that he regretted to the depths of his soul, but each one of those regrets made him feel more and more that he was just as at fault as those people down there. The worse thing was when he told her he hated her, 'Over a stupid accident! You idiot, what makes you think you are better than THEM?' He hated to admit it but that voice in his mind was right, he was worse that those people. At least they never got to see how she had tried to cook for him, or how she had read every book in his father library just to find a way to get his attention.

He too began to weep on her shoulder as he thought of the past and the woman in his arms. So many times he had hurt her, and so many time he had brushed her off. He was worse that 'them.' Burying his face in her shoulder he cried but he did not let her go. With what strength he had he held on to her like she was about to leave him were his arms to move. Both the feeling of wanting and worthlessness washed over him almost drowning him in a raging sea. He wanted to be there for her to help her, but he felt like he was the cause of it so he was worthless to her.

Ryo-Ohki mournfully cried as she flew away with two very sad and lonely passengers. Lonely in that they were both hurting and felt very alone yet they were together. She wished she could do something, but could think of nothing. So instead she flew back towards Earth. Back to the only home she or Ryoko had ever known.

Washu, Ayeka, Sasami and Mihoshi were lead into an office and were brought in one by one to talk to the head of security to discover what had happened. Mihoshi first, but she was let go pretty soon as they could not get much useful information out of them except that the males name was Tenchi. Washu was let into the main office next and they hoped to get more information out of her.

When she entered the room there was a single person behind a desk that was covered in papers. The file cabinets to the sides were covered in papers and other debris. At first Washu thought that this place had been hit by a windstorm, but she soon changed her mind, this had been hit by a Mihoshi storm. The humanoid behind the counter wore a gray uniform. The man was humanoid in appearance, but in this light his skin looked hard like some sort of leather. Various patched of heir covered his skin in patches was seemingly uneven.

"Thanks for coming, like I told your friend you are not under arrest, all we need in information." Washu nodded as he gestured for her to sit down. "Your, um, friend," he said pointing to the door so she thought he meant Mihoshi. "Has an interesting way of destroying everything she touches, are you sure she is a galaxy police officer?"

Washu nearly laughed and would have had it not been for the pain she still felt from Ryoko. "Yes," she said her voice sad and wavering. "She is, I am not sure how but she is."

"Hum, ok. Well she said that the one who destroyed our ride was Tenchi and she would not sit still long enough to get anything else. I think I am going to be cleaning this mess up for days." He leaned back and groaned, then sitting back up he picked up a small remote. "Our surveillance tapes caught this. We were notified that a passenger was unable to be moved from a ride focused in on them. We thought nothing of it until she vanished and he started destroying things." As he spoke he replayed on a monitor Tenchi & Ryoko exiting the ride and coming to a stop on the platform.

Washu watched as Tenchi tried to get her to move, but she remained motionless. Then Ryoko shouted no and teleported up just a little bit. The pain was evident on her face and Washu nearly cried again at seeing the pain and feeling it still. Then in an instant her daughter was gone and Tenchi fell to his knees. Washu leaned forward to watch, as there was a short conversation then Tenchi floated up and threw a ball of energy into the ride.

"How'd he do that!"

"That's what we would like to know, but you seem very interested, what is your relationship between these two?"

Washu eyed him curiously as pondered if she should say anything. Then decided to tell him the truth, as it only would hurt them later if she didn't. "She is Ryoko Hakubi, My daughter, born over five-thousand years ago. She was kidnapped by Kagato and forced to destroy things. I was locked in a stasis crystal on board his ship for that time. When Ryoko went to Jurai under Kagato's control a lone warrior Yosho was able to defeat her and fore her to retreat with Tsunami's assistance. She landed on Earth and fought him again, but lost. He locked her away in a cave for the next seven-hundred years." He was leaning forward on the edge of his seat as she spoke. He could not believe that the legends were true, and yet according to this woman false as well.

A few years ago this Tenchi Masaki, was just an earthling tending the shrine by which she was held. He one day released her and instead of destroying things she tried to get him to love her." She just shrugged in anticipation of his question of why. "Since then Ayeka, first princess of Jurai arrived on earth with her Sister, Sasami the second princess of Jurai. Soon Mihoshi of the galaxy police joined them. And there on earth did the girls live with him until Kagato showed up again." He was wide eyed at her tale and hanging on every word.

"When Kagato arrived Ryoko was taken again but not before he revealed that Tenchi's grandfather was in fact Yosho, the first prince of Jurai. A battle ensued and Kagato took Ryoko back to his ship. Tenchi followed her in the Ryo-Ohki another creation of mine that Kagato took control of and forced to destroy things. There was a short space battle and it was thought that Tenchi was killed in space. With the pain of losing him Ryoko finally broke some of the control that Kagato had on her and she fought him. The battle was fierce. During it Mihoshi somehow release me from my prison to help."

She paused in her tale and he nearly fell over waiting for her to finish. "Sadly none of us could beat him and just when Ryoko was about to die at his hands Tenchi suddenly appeared. He had been rescued and revived by the goddess Tsunami. The battle was short from there and Tenchi killed Kagato there and destroyed his ship in the process. Since then we have all lived with Tenchi and Yosho on earth and have even been visited by the Emperor and his wives."

"You've see the Emperor!"

"Yes." Her reply was calm and even, a stark contrast to him, as he was still wide eyed still. "And the remaining two in the hall are his daughters, Ayeka and Sasami Jurai. So I suggest you take it easy on them."

He nodded quickly and picked up his phone and ordered someone make sure that they were as comfortable as they could be, then he turned back to Washu. "So, um," he started trying to regain his composure, which after all this was not all that easy. "Why then would she just disappear and why would he feel the need to destroy the ride?"

At this even Washu was at a loss. "I do not know. I have been trying to contact my daughter but she is not listening."

"So you have a communication link to her?"

"Of sorts," Washu did not think it necessary to tell him about their mental connection yet, just that she had a connection was good enough. Also in her tale she had left out a lot of information especially about her daughters wild streak and destructive capability against the elder princess. When he had more than enough information for his needs Washu left his office and was immediately asked by the princesses what was going on. "It seems that something greatly upset Ryoko and she left in Ryo-Ohki. Tenchi did not handle it well and he destroyed a ride. Then he too vanished, but I did not think he could teleport and I don't have a way of tracking him."

"Miss Washu," Ayeka said almost meekly, "While we were at the ride earlier I saw a replica of Ryoko laughing. What do you suppose that means?"

Washu thought about it when Mihoshi broke in, "hay Washu, can't you call Ryo-Ohki?"

The petite scientists' eyes shot open, "Damn, I forgot about that." Washu closed her eyes as Ayeka was asked to come in a talk the officer. Washu concentrated on Ryo-Ohki and after a few moments she finally made contact. 'Ryo-Ohki.'

'Yes,' came the cabbits reply.

'Where are you? What happened?'

There was a long pause before she replied. 'I don't know. Ryoko was upset; she called me and told me to fly away. No direction, just flyaway. Tenchi's trying to calm her, but both crying.'

'Tenchi is there?'

'Yes. Not know how, but he just appeared.'

'Ok, you watch over them. Be careful though,' Washu told the cabbit. Ryo-Ohki just responded ok and she continued to fly. Washu opened her eyed to see Sasami and Mihoshi standing there waiting for an answer. "Ryo-Ohki is flying away with Ryoko. She is crying and in a lot of pain though she is not physically hurt. Tenchi is there too and he is crying as well."

"Tenchi's there, and crying?" Sasami thought it was strange that they were both crying over something.

Ayeka coming out of the office obviously upset interrupted them. Washu threw the officer a dirty look but he just shrugged as if to say, 'I don't know what happened.' She looked at him curiously then turned to Ayeka. "What's up?"

"I," she started then stopped to consider her words. "I have a lot to think about. The ride was the tunnel of love. And the Ryoko I saw was the rides pride and joy."

"But why would they put Ryoko in the tunnel of love?" Everyone turned to the blonde ditz and for once was amazed that she came up with a good question.

"Because, what is usually in that ride?" She looked at the others and they just stared back at her oblivious to what she was meaning. Sasami had never been on one, and Washu apparently hadn't either, and from the blank look on Mihoshi's ace it was obvious that she would not have remembered if she had just gone through it. Ayeka just growled at them, "Ok, I see you don't know. What's the best way to bring two people together quickly?" Each one of the three gave her answers ranging from hypnotizing, to cooking, finally Ayeka had had enough of their many wrong answers as they kept giving her answer after answer and all were wrong. "Scare them!" She called out.

"Oh," said Mihoshi. Washu Just looked stunned and she seemed to be starting to piece it together.

"And what better way to scare someone than include monsters and demons?" Ayeka prodded and suddenly realization dawned on Washu.

The scientist just pointed at her, "Yes, she was sad, and hurt. She must have seen herself as something to be feared and…" her voice trailed off for a moment as she worked it through in her mind.

Sasami looked at her, "But, wouldn't she have destroyed it instead of Tenchi?"

"No, she was too hurt and ashamed to do anything other than run. I think that is why Tenchi destroyed it too. Ayeka, you said once that Tenchi ran from her like she was a monster right?"

She suddenly felt shamed for mentioning it, and meekly answered, "Yes. He cares for her doesn't he?"

Washu looked at her curiously, "Yes." Then she looked down as well. "Once when I had him in the lab running an experiment he was dreaming and he was dreaming of her."

"Oh wow Washu! How'd you know that?" Washu looked at Mihoshi and was amazed at how she could be so dense and times.

"Because he talks in his sleep." She threw her hands up then told them, "I guess he felt bad from what happened before and he has not completely recognized his feelings. So feeling bad himself I can bet he was mad and felt a need to protect her. So he destroyed it. But I don't know how he did it, but Ryo-Ohki said he teleported to Ryoko and they are both crying."

"Crying, oh how sad!" Wailed Mihoshi.

On board the Ryo-Ohki Ryoko was slowing down in her crying, and as she slowed down she realized that she was being held. At first she thought it was her mother, but the body shape was completely different, and it was obviously a male that was holding her. And definitely strong one she guessed by how tight he held her. It passed through her mind that it could be Tenchi but she had left him behind, it couldn't be him, but who ever it was, was crying too as she realized that her shoulder was very wet from his tears.

'Ryo-Ohki,' she called mentally to her cabbit.

'Yes, are you better?' Came her mental reply.

She smiled slightly, 'Not really, but I'll be ok. Who's holding me?'

'Tenchi is, he teleported here soon after we left.'

She was stunned silent in both thought and speech as she realized it was true. Slowly she regained her senses and she could help but wonder why was he crying? Taking a big breath she struggled to say his name, as after all the crying she had done it was difficult, but she managed somehow. "Tenchi?"

His grip loosened but he did not let go, his voice came from behind her and was muffled by her shoulder, "Yes?"

Ryoko struggled to look at him but the way she was help she could not turn around enough. So just twisting her head to the side a little she asked him, "Why?" She had wanted to ask many questions but her voice was too weak to say much yet.

"I, I'm sorry," he said still holding her. "I never wanted to hurt you, I wished I never could hurt anyone again. I'm sorry."

In a flash she teleported them to a standing position with her turned completely around as she could not take anymore of not being able to see him. His head was resting on her shoulder still but now she could finally return the embrace. Slowly she placed her arms around him, as she did not want to scare him and have him run away again. If he was to run now she may not be able to handle it so she was doing everything to curb her first impulse to hug him tightly. Many things went through her head as she thought about his words, which were very different that what she was expecting. "What, what do you mean?"

He finally moved, and she was afraid he would let go of her as he started to pull away. But instead he just pulled his head back to look her in the eyes. She could see his red eyes and tear stained face, the sight tore at her innards and she found it strange that just seeing him like this affected her so much. As he pulled back a little he was able to see that her eyes were red and tears were still falling slowly. "I am worse that THEM, I never wanted to hurt you. I was just thinking of myself and I was…" his voice dropped off as he realized that he was about to say scared. He did not want to say that and have her associate it to her, so to keep from saying the wrong thing he put his head back on her shoulder and hugged her once more, "I'm sorry."

Nothing like this had ever happened, and Ryoko found strangely out of place, but she also did not want this moment to fade. Placing her hand on the back of his head and one around his waist she just pulled him closer as he cried. It made a little sense now what was wrong, he felt bad for hurting her. But she was not sure if this was a good thing or not, but he was not letting her go.

"Tenchi, it's…" she stopped for a moment and thought about what she was about to say, she knew that he certainly could not know how much she had been hurt each time he ran away, but he sure was convincing right now. Sadly she understood why he would run, she was just a demon, something to scare people just like that ride. "It's ok. You really don't need to say that. That ride… it…" She lost her ability to talk as tears started flowing just remembering the horrible feelings and seeing people run in terror from her.

"You don't have to worry about that ride." She quickly whipped a tear away and looked at him as he said that. "I, um, kind of destroyed it," he said with a weak grin. Ryoko could help but laugh at the thought of Tenchi destroying something. He was about to say something to interrupt her laughing, but it was good to see her laugh after what she had just been through. It would have been nice to hear her laugh more but the startled cried of Ryo-Ohki interrupted them both.

To him all he heard was hurried cries, but Ryoko heard much more. 'Ryoko, Ryoko!'

'Yes what?'

'Ship is closing in, telling us to surrender.'

'Ha! Like I'm gonna surrender. Ryo-Ohki get us out of here!'

With an excited cry the cabbit turned space ship suddenly lurched and started flying away from their pursuer. "Ryoko, can you let go of me for a moment?"

She looked back at Tenchi and smiled as he only said for a moment. "Maybe this was a good thing," she said to herself as she released him. He stumbled back as he re adjusted to being on his feet after staying on his knees for so long. He looked up to see Ryoko giggling slightly at his antics, but behind her he saw the ship on the view screen fire. He was not even able to utter a warning as Ryo-Ohki was hit and he stumbled backwards.

Ryoko turned to the screen just a second before they were hit as Ryo-Ohki had screamed at her that they were firing. The blast just rattled the bridge slightly but hearing a sound from Tenchi caused her to turn back to him. She let out a shriek as she saw him on the floor with blood starting to form from around his head. Falling to her knees beside him she held him close but he did not move. His body was limp and unmoving.

On board the other ship the captain was yelling, "damn it! I said a warning shot! What the hell was that?"

"But sir," the weapons officer said excitedly, "that has to be the demon ship Ryo-Ohki!"

"I don't give a damn what you think it is, you were supposed to fire a warning shot to stop who ever it was from running!"

From his side he heard another shout, "SIR!" He turned around to see the Ryo-Ohki headed straight for them.

Emptiness was all Ryoko could feel again as Tenchi lay unmoving on the floor. "NO!" She cried out, as did Ryo-Ohki. "Ryo-Ohki, let's do it!" The pirate commanded and they raced towards the ship. Emptiness, anger and a desire to destroy were coursing through Ryoko's veins. She had her ship impale their pursuers for killing Tenchi. The ship had no time to react as a sharp spike tore through the ship's hull and protruded out the other side. There was no escape for the ship as soon after the spike passed through it the ship exploded still pierced with Ryo-Ohki.

The ship cried out in pain as it exploded against her and Ryoko fell to the floor. "Oh no, I, killed them," she said softly then began to cry over their deaths at her hand and the loss of Tenchi. Ryo-Ohki just flew away quickly and did not scan for survivors, but if she would she might have discovered that the bridge was intact and the five men on board were still alive, a little shaken up but alive.

Still in the Security office, Sasami thought about everything that had been said and it seemed to make sense. But a few things were missing. She wished she understood this better, but so far everyone's assumptions seemed to fit. There was one thing that the others seemed to overlook that she had thought of, or at least Tsunami brought it to mind and she suddenly spoke up, "Washu, what would happen if someone were to arrest them?"

"Hah! They would never get close enough, Ryo-Ohki could just…" Her voice suddenly dropped off as she realized what would happen with her daughter like this.

Mihoshi just looked at her puzzled, "What?"

"Yes Miss Washu, what were you going to say?"

In a voice almost too soft for them to hear she mumbled, "She's destroy them before they got close enough."

"Oh my," Ayeka said holding a hand to her mouth, "Can you stop her?"

Washu did not answer but instead moved to sit down, but before she made it to the chair she felt a backlash of pain and grief from Ryoko which caused the scientist to topple over.


	3. Things get worse

A Very Sad Tale Part 3

Washu was brought over to a chair and she plopped down heavily in it as her mind was still reeling with pain and rampant emotions from Ryoko. She was not aware that she had been moved or where she was for some time. In her mind she pushed aside the emotions and fears and called out for her daughter, 'Ryoko!'

It took some time but she finally got a response from her many calls but it did not answer much just created more questions. In her mind she heard Ryoko shouting over and over, 'He's dead!'

'Stop this! Who's dead?'

'Tenchi, there's so much blood. Tenchi! Come back to me. There's so much blood, he's not moving…'

Over and over her daughter cried and she soon was able to discover why she was having such rampant feelings and emotions in her. But Washu refused to believe it. 'Ryoko, stop this!'

'There's so much blood!' She cried out, pain and fear reverberating through their link.

'Ryoko!'

'He's dead!' Her mind voice said softly as the pain increased.

'Damn it RYOKO! STOP!' Finally there was silence but she could still feel the pain. 'I am going to look through your eyes, so I need you to look at him.'

The pirate may have been strong, and tough in many battles, but this was the hardest thing she thought possible. 'I, I can't.'

'Please, just look at him.' Slowly to Washu's mind she saw the inside of the Ryo-Ohki come into focus, but Ryoko was looking up. 'Look at him.' Ryoko slowly looked down and the sight caused Washu to gasp and she let a tear fall. Tenchi lay on the floor, unmoving and with blood running out from behind his head. 'Is he breathing?'

'He's Dead!' the Pirate cried out again as if Washu was not hearing her.

The Scientist had heard all she wanted from her daughter, and bending her will towards Ryoko she forced her hand to touched the side of his neck with two fingers. 'Do you feel anything?'

There was silence then she heard in a small voice, 'I feel a slight something.'

'Good! That's a pulse, he's not dead only injured.' She felt Ryoko's spirits lift slightly.

'Then why won't he move?'

'This next part is going to be hard on you, do you want me to do it while you watch?'

There was a silence for a few moments before a timid voice returned to her mind, 'You can do that?'

'Only if I have your permission.' Ryoko agreed and she felt Washu's presence crowd into her mind, not to overtake it but to control its movements for a moment. Ryoko felt her arms move to his head and she was scared to look but having relinquished control all she could do was sit back and watch. Her arms rolled him to the side and her body stooped over to see the wound on the back of his head, then two fingers moved to inspect his scalp where the blood poured from, slowly now but it still flowed.

The sight sickened Ryoko's conciseness but Washu kept on, using a small amount of energy a small energy knife appeared between Ryoko's fingers. She felt Washu's skillful attention to detail flow through her as the wound was cleaned, mended then the edges of the wound were brought together as the blood has stopped. But he still has not awoken nor has he made any sign of waking, yet. Presently two fingers opened his eyes and Washu used a sphere of light to watch his pupils. And after a few more things were completed Ryoko's arms scooped him up and placed him in the chair to be comfortable.

Slowly Washu removed herself from her daughters' mind and Ryoko could feel her arms trembling. 'What was that? How is he?' Were the fist two cognitive thoughts that came to Ryoko's mind. Washu just reassured her that it was necessary and that he would be ok. She explained to her daughter that he hit his head and is unconscious and out of danger, but he will be awake in less than an hour, and she does not expect that there will be any permanent damage.

Ryoko was to say the least relieved, but she was not completely happy. In that short attack she knew there were no survivors. And with her having destroyed and taken lives she was the pirate again, the demon of peoples dreams. She felt cold, and alone even though she was with Tenchi. 'Ryo-Ohki, take us home as fast as possible.' With everything that had happened she felt it best to head there, so that he could rest and she could hopefully feel better.

'The closest and fastest way takes up through a part of the forbidden territory, but I can take us around it.'

Her mistress thought about it for a moment, 'No, fly to Earth as fast and as straight as possible. If we only go through a part of it no one will notice.' And so the three of them headed for Earth, through the forbidden territories. Still feeling cold she wanted to warm up some how then thought of how warm she felt when he held her. Casting a glance at him she debated for a moment then appeared beside him in the chair. It was laid back to make for a makeshift bed, so she had to move in very close to him to have room for them both on it.

And so Ryoko went to sleep lying on her side pressed up close to Tenchi as he slept. Both were deep in slumber as Ryo-Ohki neared the forbidden area. This part of space was forbidden for other ships to cross and none really knew why. But the peoples of the zone did not like outsiders and they did not like anyone using their territory for hiding, trading, passage or any other reason. Many space pirates and bums have entered this area in hopes of finding sanctuary or a place to hide as they ran from the Galaxy Police. However they never found what they wanted. Somehow they were always found and never lived to tell what those in the zone looked like.

Ryo-Ohki knew this was a bad place to go, but she hopped that they could make it through before anyone, or anything spotted them. At least that was her hope, and the hope of her mistress, who at this point had many other things on her mind other than this part of space. She was still worried about Tenchi, as Washu had said there would be no permanent damage, but what did that mean?

When Washu had left Ryoko's mind she slowly opened her eyes to see three worried faces; Ayeka, Sasami & Mihoshi. "I'm fine," she said albeit a little shaky.

"But Miss Washu, what happened? Why did you collapse?" The other two nodded as if in agreement of asking Ayeka's question.

"Well Ryoko had a very emotional experience that she has never had before, she thought Tenchi was dead." The three girls gasped and recoiled a little. "I said thought he was. Ryo-Ohki was attacked and Tenchi hit his head. He bled a good bit, but he'll be fine. Ryoko took his unconsciousness for being dead and she destroyed the attackers."

"Oh my," said Ayeka as she raised her hand to her face. "This is not good, and they are already wanted, what will happen now?"

"I'm not sure. We need to go though." And with that they got up to leave and after a short conversation with the security officers they were allowed to leave. None of them mentioned that a ship had been destroyed, only that they needed to go now. Since they were not actually under arrest they were allowed to leave no matter how much they wanted to keep them here. Making their way out and back to their ship was an interesting feat, as the galaxy reporters had shown up to as they said 'report the truth', but this batch of reporters wanted more hype than truth.

Several were interviewing those that had fled in terror as they reported seeing the demoness Ryoko with a new demon, one that they had not seen before. He was described as terrifying and destructive. Ayeka fought hard to not march over there and give them a piece of her mind. Sasami paid no attention to them and luckily Mihoshi was not paying attention either. She could just imagine what would happen if the ditz was to open her mouth and tell everyone that the male demon was in face Tenchi, a prince of Jurai. That in it self was going to be a hard thing to explain and get past. If word got out about who he was then it would taint the royal family and then their supporters would fall away and their entire lives could be in jeopardy. And if it was not told who they were then he would be labeled a demon like her and the galaxy police would peruse them. Either way things were not looking good.

It did not take long for the media to stir up people's anger and fears. The four of them made it back to Ayeka's ship and proceeded to leave, although it was not a very fast exit. There were hundreds of police ships and many more private ships that were trying to move about in the area around the planet. While Ayeka and Mihoshi tried to get them out of the area Washu was busy trying to determine where Ryo-Ohki was and where they were going. Her first thought had been that they would head towards home, but she could not find Ryo-Ohki's signature headed in that direction.

In a distant area of space far from what many would have dared travel sat Tokimi's domain. She had setup parts of each dimension to be hers and filled each section with being loyal to her. Her ethereal companion D3 was the watcher of this Dimension, and out of the void of the temple dedicated to her he appeared and called her name, "Lady Tokimi."

"Yes D3?" The feminine voice came from everywhere and nowhere at seemingly the same time.

"A ship has crossed the boundary into your territory, what shall I do?"

"Just a ship?"

"No, the Ryo-Ohki, that carries the boy and Washu's child."

"I see. Bring them to me. Alive if possible."

"I understand," he said and his head bowed before nothing and became nothing.

"So sisters, your playthings have come here. Why? What are you doing?" The voice pondered the meaning then she too removed her presence from this area.

In the Ryo-Ohki the two occupants slept in the command chair for some time, unmoving and unknowing what was happening outside. For one of them what was going on inside was a mystery as well. Slowly Tenchi returned to consciousness, and the first thing he realized was that he had a horrible headache. As he came closer to consciousness he was able to tell that he had something against him holding him down. In this state he was not able to discern what had happened or even where he was. His mind recalled in broken detail that he was talking to Ryoko and after she had hugged him they had been hit by another ship. The realization dawned on him that if he was knocked out then something horrible could have happened.

Acting more of fear than anything else Tenchi tried to break free from his captors. He was able to force his hands into the air knocking something off to the side, which released some of the pressure against him. He forced himself up and to move back. When he had forced his hands up he had knocked Ryoko over the side of the chair and upon hitting the ground she promptly woke up. Sitting up she was able to see Tenchi sit up quickly then he backed away from her. Unfortunately with him being in the chair when he tried to back away he fell to the ground again.

Upon landing on the ground again pain shot through his body, and his head was still pounding. But he heard laughing; someone was laughing at him. He had to have been kidnapped, that was the only explanation he could come to, as his eyes were unable to focus on anything around him yet. Tenchi did the only thing he could think of, he began to yell at his captors. "Come out of hiding you monster! I know you took me somewhere, come out and face me!" As he yelled the laughing stopped abruptly and he smiled thinking that he had won this round. He groped for his sword but it was nowhere to be found and with this pounding in his head he could not concentrate enough to even attempt to bring up his light hawk sword.

Ryoko had stated snickering when she saw him sitting and looking confused, then when he started staggering around she had started laughing. However when he opened his mouth to speak it was not at all what she had hoped for or expected. The sting of him calling her a monster hurt worse than anything else could have. Tears welled up in her eyes and she began crying, the pain she was experiencing completely tore away any semblance of control or strength she had left. She crawled away from him and wept in a corner as she wanted to get as far away as possible, but in space she had no where else to go.

Upon hearing the crying he thought about who it could be, but finally decided it was a trick or just his imagination going wild. He by this time had his eyes open but he was not seeing. Everything was black like he was in a cave or a cell so he could not tell where he was. However the laughing had gone away and he could barely hear the crying. Gathering his voice he called out to his tormentors, "Where is she you monster? What'd you do with Ryoko?" He waited for a response, and the crying seemed to stop briefly as if confused. "Tell me where is she?"

She looked back over her shoulder and saw him standing there, when he called out asking for her. Her curiosity caused her to stop crying and she looked at him concerned, but something seemed wrong. As she watched him he seemed to be stumbling around and calling for her. 'But why would he call me a monster and then call out for me?'

"Ryoko! Can you hear me?" He stumbled around and finally grabbed onto the chair to steady himself.

"Tenchi?" To her it did not make any sense what was going on, first he was yelling at her now he is yelling for her.

"Ryoko?" He sounded confused and strangely glad for one who had called her a monster.

"Tenchi, what's wrong?"

"Where are we? I, I can't really see to well." He began groping into the air as if he was trying to find something.

Pushing back her tears and confusion she approached him warily. When she was right before him she looked at him and into his eyes but something seemed very wrong about them. She waved a hand before his face and he did not even acknowledge it was there. "Tenchi?" She was about to begin crying again this time over what she was seeing.

Upon hearing his name being called from before him he reached forward and was happy to feel someone there, grasping onto what ever his hands found he pulled it closer to him. He had caught her by the arm and in pulling her closer it caused him to stumble but she did not allow him to fall. She wrapped her arms around him saying to him softly, "I'm here Tenchi."

"Oh Ryoko, thank Tsunami! I thought they took you away, but I can't see anything, where are we? Are we in a cave or something?" He heard her crying and he thought the worst, "Did they do anything to you? As soon as we get out of here…" her voice cut him off.

"No Tenchi. There is no one here. We're still on Ryo-Ohki." She held him closer and he could tell she was crying.

"But, the ship, and it's so dark?"

"I, I destroyed it when you fell." Her voice cracked as she tried to regain her ability to speak. "And the lights are on, you are standing on the bridge of Ryo-Ohki."

He could not believe this, "No. It's not possible!" He felt her nodding against him and everything crumbled around him. He could no longer stand and it was Ryoko that held him in place.

Mentally she cried out, 'MOM!' as she began crying harder. This was not something she had ever planned on, or had expected. Both of their dreams seemed to fall out from under them at the same time. "Ryo-Ohki, head for Earth."

Both heard Ryo-Ohki's sad voice cry out then with a jolt they bounded forward faster. She had already been going as fast as she could and now she was pushing herself beyond her limit, but for the pain Ryoko felt and after hearing the exchange between them she understood that he could not see.

Ayeka and Washu were busily talking about what could have caused her to fly off like that and what would have caused Tenchi to destroy something when Washu screamed and held her head. She was going to have to talk to her daughter about screaming over their mental link later, but with the pain associated with it she decided to save that for another day. 'Ryoko, what's wrong?'

'Tenchi's awake, but he's…'

'He's what?'

'He's blind. He can't see me even though he is holding me…' Her mind voice trembled and fell away.

'No... He can't be' she repeated mentally. "He can't be."

"He can't be what, Miss Washu?"

She looked over at Ayeka who was looking at her concerned. "Ryoko says that Tenchi had woken up from hitting his head."

"Oh that's good then, so what can't he be?"

"He's…" she could not say it, it would hurt her too much. But Ayeka kept asking and would not relent. "Ryoko say's he's blind."

"What? How?" The princess was shrieking then got herself under control. "Miss Washu, she said earlier that he was dead and that turned out that he was merely unconscious. Maybe this…"

"You're right, hold on." She focused back on her daughter, 'Ryoko, I need you to look at his eyes.'

'I can't.'

'Remember when you thought he was dead, maybe this is only temporary?' She offered the last in an attempt to stifle her own fears as well as calm her daughter down.

'Ok.' Ryoko looked at Tenchi's face and his eyes were open and looking at her but they looked cloudy. She gave her mom the ability to see through her again and Washu gasped. Moving Ryoko's face closer to his she was able to see into his eyes and what she saw sickened them both. It looked like a blood vessel had burst and it has already gone far enough to take away his sight. Washu did not want to say it, but this time Ryoko was right. He was blind and from the looks of things it was near total loss. If she were to operate on him right now she might be able to restore some of his sight, but she could not return it completely.

She began crying and pulled out of Ryoko's mind. When Washu looked up she saw Ayeka before her. "Tenchi's blind. If I had the ability to operate on him right this second I could return some of his sight." Ayeka slumped back in her chair. This day had gone from bad to worse and it did not seem to be getting any better. In the Ryo-Ohki the pirate and the prince held each other and contemplated the future. For Tenchi this meant that he would never see a sunset or a rose or anything again, not even Ryoko. Many times he had taken that for granted, he had woke up many mornings to find her watching him, and now he could not even see that again.


	4. A Desperate Gamble

A Very Sad Tale Part 4 - A Desperate Gamble

Ayeka and Washu sat in silence as Mihoshi and Sasami attempted to move their ship away from the planet, but with so many tourists and reporters that was turned to a near impossible feat. Even members of the Galaxy Police showed up to get people moving and to restore order. For nearly an hour they maneuvered the ship until they were free of the interstellar traffic. Without knowing where Ryo-Ohki had gone it was going to be near impossible to track them. Several times she had found what she thought was their engine signature, but it was not complete enough to tell if it was them and what direction they were headed in. Several of them look like it, but they were headed in many different directions.

The only lead they had was from a small ship that the Galaxy Police had found. It was reported that they were able to rescue all five crewmen from a private security ship. The men said that they were attacked and that they had barely escaped with their lives. "That demon attacked us without warning and destroyed our ship!" claimed one of the survivors. The captain did not say a word neither did the rest of the crew. Instead they were taken to a Galaxy Police base for questioning.

As far as clues go this was the only solid clue she had and she was able to get at least an idea of the direction, but the reporter would not give away the exact coordinates. A few of the engine trails that where similar to Ryo-Ohki went in the direction that they were supposedly in, but she could not track down which one was the right one. Grudgingly Washu had them head for Earth as that was surely the direction they headed to, even though this happened in the wrong direction.

"Miss Washu?" The scientist looked up to see Ayeka. "Is there anything you can do for him?"

She shook her head sadly, "I'm sorry but I know of nothing that will help right now. Especially since we're so far apart."

"I know, I was hoping." The princess looked down as she was beginning to become extremely depressed. In all the thousands of years of Jurai's history there has never been a blind emperor or any handicapped emperor. So if he could not regain his sight then he would not be able to take the throne. If he had tried to take the throne as he is now, the Holy Counsel would block it as having a handicapped ruler would be a sign of weakness to the surrounding systems and their power might dissolve. "Is there any way to get his sight back?"

"Look I told you I don't know of anything! If I could I'd give him my eyes; hell Ryoko would give him hers if he asked. She can re-grow her own! So just sit back and…" A sudden thought hit her, 'Ryoko's healing ability, if we could transfer even some of that to him it might work…'

"Miss Washu? Miss Washu?" The scientist shook her head and looked back at Ayeka. "Are you ok?"

"I, think I know of something. Hang on." She then closed her eyes and mentally called for Ryoko. When Ryoko answered she told her what she thought. 'Ryoko, I think we can return his sight. All we need to do is transfer some of your healing powers to him. That way your accelerated healing should return him to normal.'

'Really? How do I do that?' She was extremely happy at the prospect that he could be returned to normal and even happier that she could be the one to do it. No matter what this involved she would do it for him.

'I need to transfer some of your… Damn, We need your blood to be transferred to him, or some way to get your powers to him.'

Ryoko frowned and thought for a moment, 'What about my gems?'

Washu thought it over for a moment, doing that would mean more then just transferring some of her powers, but she was not sure to what extent it would go. However this seemed to be the only possible solution, but she did not know if it was reversible. The way Yosho had taken the gems from Ryoko before were by piercing her and absorbing them. For Ryoko and her healing abilities that was nothing, but Tenchi could be killed if they tried to recover them that way. Finally she answered her daughter, 'We can try it, but only do one. I don't know the full extent on how it will affect him, but it should at least allow him to regenerate like you.' She could feel her daughters joy through the link and she thought it best not to tell her that she had no clue if it would work or not. If she had more time to study it then she would know for sure.

Washu closed the link and looked at Ayeka. "There is a chance, but I am not completely sure..."

Ayeka studied her then stated calmly, "Then that chance we must take."

"There may be side effects though." She looked down almost in shame, as she did not know if it would work or not and this seemed a one way ticket. The look Ayeka gave her plainly asked what kind without even needing to say a word. "As you know Ryoko's healing ability is beyond anyone else's so if we can transfer that power to him then it should heal him completely.

She thought about this for a moment and it sickened her at the thought of Ryoko being the one to help him, and it disturbed her to think that at this point. She could not understand completely why he had destroyed that ride and then chased after her, but there really did not seem to be any other options at this point. She would either have Tenchi blind for life or he could have his sight restored and he would be closer to her. She did not like either prospect, but in bad situations you have to pick the lesser of the two evils. The elder princess looked at Washu calmly. "As I said, if this is the only chance then we must take it."

Washu nodded and then contacted her daughter to let her know that she could go ahead and try. 'But remember this may not be reversible and I cannot give you any guarantees.'

In Ryo-Ohki the two occupants talked about this possibility. "Washu thinks that it will help if I give you one of my gems."

"No, they are yours and I need to give them back to you."

"Tenchi, if you give them to me I will still give one back to you." She placed a hand on his face and he did not flinch or move away from it as he had in the past, "Please Tenchi. Let me try to help."

He finally relented and Ryoko helped him over to his sword as she could not carry it, she knew that if she tried it would only shock her again. Picking it up he held it between him and her and in his mind he clearly remembered doing this before, but the circumstances were different. It seemed strange that how so long ago she had fought him over the sword and the gems and now she was giving one to him, actually demanding to give him one. His head still pounded from his earlier injury, but he had enough sense to remember what she had told him before.

"So, I guess I just pray to have one go to me then?" She nodded then remembered he could not see it, so she told him yes as she fought back the tears. He held the sword to him and then began the prayer he started so long ago in his room. The sword glowed for a moment then one gem began to glow. It slowly disappeared from view and reappeared on his left wrist like hers. In that instant all four of them, Tenchi, Ryoko, Ryo-Ohki and Washu felt a tremendous pain flow through them causing them all to cry out in pain.

Ayeka grabbed Washu as the scientist writhed in pain holding her head. This was not expected she had not expected to feel this. Ryoko could feel the pain as well but she could not tell whom it was coming from. It would take some time before any of them were to find it out, but the pain did not come from one of them but rather all of them. The gems combined and shared all of their pain. Tenchi and Ryoko hit their knees and the master key fell from his hand as she grabbed him to keep them both from falling over. Then just as quickly as it had come the pain left all of them but one, Tenchi.

'Ryoko! Ryoko? Are you ok?'

'Yes. What the hell was that mom?'

'I wish I knew. That was… unexpected.'

'Any more surprises for me?'

'I, I don't know.' Washu hated saying those words. More than anything she hated the idea of not knowing something. Especially when it affected both her and her daughter.

The pain had been so sharp and sudden that Ryo-Ohki had stopped for a moment and if she could have she would have cringed and held her own head. She was worried about her mistress and Tenchi though so at the moment she forgot to start moving again. She asked worriedly it they were ok, "Myia?" It did not cross her mind until after she asked that he would not be able to understand. The voice she heard though surprised her.

"Yes, I'm ok Ryo-Ohki. My head just hurts," said Tenchi out loud to her question. He sat up and tried opening his eyes to look around but he was still in darkness.

She cried out again several times and was excited to discover that they both understood her. "Tenchi! I'm glad you're ok. How can you understand?" To Ryoko's ears she heard the excited Myiaing that everyone else heard, but in her mind she heard the question to him. It was not surprising to the ship that Ryoko could understand as she has been her constant companion for thousands of years, but he should not be able to.

He spoke out loud though as if he understood it too, "I still can't see, but I don't know how I understand."

When Ryoko heard him say he could not see she began crying as the transfer has obviously failed, she had failed him. Even giving him her power it was not enough to bring back his sight. "Tenchi, I'm sorry."

He held her close; "It's ok. You tried." She moved him over to the chair so that he could sit down, then she sat in his lap so he could continue to hold her. This contact was the only thing he could do now to calm both her fears and his mind. Slowly she told him what Washu had said about his eyes and how he may never see again. Inside Tenchi thought he was falling apart. In the past forty-eight hours, at least that is how long he thought it had been from what she had told him, he had destroyed something out of anger, tried to comfort her, was then attacked and lost his sight. And to top it off he knew she felt guilty for destroying that ship. Even though they had fired first that was the first ship she had destroyed on her own free will. The fact remained that she had killed, and the blood was still on her hands for it. All these feelings were spiraling around in her as well as guilt over what had happened to him.

As he held her he realized that this has not been the first time he had done this. He has held her twice in the past, once against Kagato and once when Zero was dying. Both times he wished he could do so a little bit longer, but each time was cut short. And now, here they are again. But he can't see her, and he may never see her again from what he understood. Removing a hand from around her he placed it against her cheek and he could feel the tears she was crying. He whipped them away and began letting his hand gently caress her face. His fingers brushed across her cheek, down her jaw line and then back up to her ears. Using his palm and fingers as his eyes he looked at her face and began picturing her in his mind. He thought of how she looked when she laughed and was happy.

Feeling his hand on her face she looked up at him and wondered what he could be doing, but as gentle as he was being she hated to say anything in fear that he might stop. As she watched him thought she could see tears falling from his eyes, which were cloudy and already they had lost their luster. His eyes looked dead and empty though quite opposite from his face which seemed warm and caring. She forced herself to look away, as each time she looked into his eyes now she felt guilt. 'It's because of me that he's like this now. If I hadn't forced him to go on that ride nothing would have happened. We could be home and at least then he could see me.' The accusations from within were coming fast and strong, and with each one she would cry more. But each tear that fell was gently caressed away by his hand.

Ryo-Ohki had been watching the exchange between them in hopes that he would be all right, but sadly he was no better than before. But now he could understand her at least, like Ryoko could. Once the initial pain had gone away she sat in the stillness of space waiting and watching, but like the others she had gotten her hopes up too high and now she was depressed. She resumed her course as best she could but the stars seemed strange now, and she was not sure if she was headed in the same direction. At length she decided that when the pain hit she had begun spinning and in this part of the galaxy not even Kagato had taken them so it was a new place. But even in a new place she should be able to have some idea where she was, but here it was hard to tell, it was like something was surrounding them that was distorting things and confusing her on what direction she was going.

After the pain left Washu she began trying to find out what happened, and when Ryoko had finally told her that the only difference now was he could understand Ryo-Ohki she was not happy. Giving him the gem should have done something at least besides that. She informed Ayeka that their idea had failed and her spirits fell causing her to slump back in her seat. 

The little scientist was about to tell them about to tell them about him being able to understand Ryo-Ohki, but stopped when Sasami rushed in. "Washu! Tell Ryo-Ohki to turn around!" Before she could even ask why the little princess provided the explanation. "They are in the forbidden zones and Tsunami says that they are about to be surrounded by Tokimi's ships."

"Tokimi?" Washu repeated the name several times but mostly to herself then the name registered to her. That was the person that was trying to kidnap her before. "Oh no!" She then turned her thoughts to Ryo-Ohki. 'Ryo-Ohki, you have to turn around.'

The cabbit responded to her and it was evident that she was confused, 'I can't. I don't know which way I'm going. Stars are strange here.' Then the link was suddenly cut off.

'Ryo-Ohki!' Washu called one more time but then silence, even from her daughter. "It's too late. I can't reach them anymore."

Tenchi and Ryoko barely had a chance to move before the first hit came. Ryo-Ohki screamed in pain as more shots were fired from other directions, as they were totally surrounded. Ryoko was standing facing the view screen trying to find a way out. "Ryoko, what's wrong?"

"We're being attacked! I don't know who and we're surrounded. Damn." Four more shots pounded into Ryo-Ohki before she stopped completely. "She can't move. Whatever they're shooting is paralyzing her." She turned around to see a stranger on board and he was moving up to Tenchi. "Tenchi duck!" Just a second after he ducked she flew past him and sliced into the man, but more soon appeared. She fought as hard as she could and Tenchi frantically tried to find his sword to help her but in his state he could not do much more then crawl across the floor. 

Helpless and useless was just how he felt, as he was unable to do anything more than grope in the darkness the sounds of someone fighting Ryoko stirred him on though. If he could get to his sword and give her the last gem then she would have enough power to win. He was almost to it when the unthinkable happened he heard her scream. Pushing everything away he rushed to where he heard her scream when a hand grabbed him. It was large and rough so it was easy to tell it was not Ryoko. He grabbed the hand and with a quick flick he was rewarded with the sound of breaking bones. Letting go he continued over to her and two more assaulted him before he reached her. In this panicked state his strength moved well beyond it norm and he knocked at least two of his attackers away to get to her. She was lying on the ground when he got there and when he went to pick her up he felt blood, fresh blood. When his hand touched her side she winced and he knew she was hurt badly. But before he could say a word he was struck from behind with something. He felt his consciousness slipping as he struggled to not fall. "Ryoko," he called to her, 'I'm sorry.' Before he passed out he thought he heard her say something but he could not tell. From the number of hits he was receiving there had to be at least a dozen men around them.


	5. A Light at the end of the darkness

A Very Sad Tale Part 5 - A Light at the end of the darkness

"Mihoshi! Get us to earth now!" The scientist was screaming as she approached the ditz. Taking over Washu was able to get them home in half the time but it still took over ten hours to get back to Earth. Along the way Washu tried to establish a connection to her daughter or Ryo-Ohki, but there was no answer. From what Tsunami had said Tokimi possibly wanted them alive, but she possibly would have blocked off any communication to them. Curses and other unintelligible words poured from her mouth as she thought about loosing them. Once before she had lost a husband and a child but she was not going to allow anyone to take her daughter from her again.

Sasami tried to console Ayeka but the recent events were taking a toll on them both. Ayeka was not handling the news very well that not only had he left with that woman, but he has been hurt, lost his sight and now was taken prisoner in the worst place. Mihoshi babbled on about this zone saying that the Galaxy Police will not cross it's borders and even the most hardened criminals dared not cross them either. The blonde even told them that in all of the thousands of worlds destroyed by Kagato he never entered this area. With this knowledge both princesses knew that even with the combined forces of the Galaxy Police and the Jurai Military there was nothing that they could do.

For the ten hours back to Earth there was not much talking and everyone was feeling down. Even Mihoshi was not her usual cheery self. Everyone took time to think about what had happened and what to do from here, but no one could come up with a way to get them out safely and even then what about his eyesight? Washu had said that if she could have operated right away she might have been able to restore his sight partially, but now that so much time has past he may never see again. Even the idea to transfer Ryoko's gem to him had seemingly failed.

This trip back home in silence gave Washu some time to think about what had happened and why it had happened as well. While in the security office she had been told many things by the security team and Ayeka. According to the video's when the ride ended Ryoko remained in the tram and seemingly unable to move. From the feelings she was receiving from her daughter at the time and from what Ayeka had seen later, she believed that Ryoko was upset and distraught at seeing her likeness in a ride intended to scare people. But what did not make sense was after Ryoko left without doing any damage Tenchi stood there and began destroying the ride.

According to the ride operators she had shouted that she was not a demon and also that she was a demon and then left. It was not until after they talked to him that he destroyed it. He had told them that the ride will be closed permanently then began his assault. To the scientist that in itself was a mystery that she wanted to solve, why did he take it upon himself to do that, and how did he teleport to her? He had never showed having that ability before and he did not have one of the gems so it should have been impossible.

Ayeka also was wrestling with why had he destroyed the ride, why did he do that? It made no sense and he had never done such a thing in the past. For hours she sat looking out the window into space trying to understand the impossible. She would not have even given it a second thought if Ryoko had destroyed anything, but the pirate just cried and left without doing any damage. 'She did not even activate her sword, instead she flew away,' thought the princess. To her that was a mystery as well, as she had known Ryoko to destroy things just for the hack of it before, but why not now? 'She's taken every opportunity before to destroy something. She destroyed his school, my ship, his house and many other things. Even on the way here she… she….' Her thoughts stopped there as she realized that for the past several days she has not destroyed anything. The princess realized that while she had insulted Ryoko and provoked her several times in their usual banter back and forth the pirate did not retaliate or even say anything back.

Carefully she worked the past few days over in her mind and made the startling realization that Ryoko had in fact not destroyed anything much less got into a fight for some time. Even when insulted the pirate did not fight, 'but why?' She thought about that and why would he go on that ride with her, it was no secret that they had ridden the 'Tunnel of Love' together, and then Tenchi destroyed it afterwards. They had never really asked what ride it was as that did not seem important before, but just a short time ago Mihoshi had been watching the galactic news and they had announced the rides name there. The last but not the least important question running through her mind was that he was not called a demon and been classified a threat to propel just like Ryoko had been. But he was the prince of Jurai and certainly not a demon. But now that he was an outlaw even if he could regain his sight could he rule Jurai with her?

As Washu and Ayeka thought of the past few hours and what to do from here Sasami entered the room sadly. "Ayeka, Washu, I have to go."

"Go! Go where?" Washu looked at Sasami as Ayeka spoke.

"Tsunami says that Tokimi contacted her and said that she has Tenchi, Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki. If we want them back then Tsunami and I have to go see her."

Washu could tell that something was not being said, but Ayeka spoke up, "What do you mean? Why do you have to go too?"

"Tokimi, is another goddess like Tsunami. This is an old feud and since I am partly Tsunami I have to go as well."

"No! You can't go, I forbid it!" She cried as she stamped her foot emphasizing her point.

Sasami, near tears told her, "But if I don't go then they might die!"

Washu broke into the conversation, "Sasami, does Tsunami have a plan?"

"That doesn't matter. Sasami, You can't go, I promised to take care of you. I've…" she started crying, "I've already lost too may from my family. I can't loose you too."

Her sister approached and placed a hand on Ayeka's cheek, "Ayeka, she say's that they are not dead, and we have to trust her so we can get them back."

"But…"

"Sister, I have to. I can't just sit around and let them die. Tsunami says to trust her, so I am willing to." Ayeka finally broke down and cried for a time as Sasami held her gently. The little scientist knew there was more being said though but she did not want to press it with the way Ayeka was acting.

"Sasami, it is time." They all looked to see Tsunami behind the little princess. She took a step back and the goddess put her hands on the girls' shoulders and the two of them disappeared. At once the elder princess latched onto Washu and began crying again and this time harder.

Slowly Tenchi regained his consciousness. Still everything was in blackness, but at least the throbbing in his head had gone away. He pushed himself up off the floor and he leaned against the wall. When his back made contact with the wall he flinched slightly as it was still a little tender, but not near as sore as he would have expected it to be after the beating he took. Suddenly he came to be fully awake as he realized the floor was different. His hands searched around trying to discover his location and a great weariness filled him as he discovered that he was no longer aboard the Ryo-Ohki and he was alone.

He collapsed on the floor crying softly as he started to let himself drift into despair. 'Damn it I should have been there for her, I should have been able to fight them off better. I should have….' The accusations were destroying what remained of his sanity and he would have lost himself to it had it not been for one thing. A voice was nagging at the back of his mind for attention.

'Tenchi.' The voice called to him. He sat up and moved to a meditating stance. The voice was not alien to him, but it was not is voice. As he calmed himself and listened he determined that it was Ryo-Ohki. 'Tenchi?'

Clearing his thoughts he answered the voice and was surprised to discover that he had a link to the cabbit. 'Yes Ryo-Ohki?'

'Yay! Tenchi, I can't reach Washu and Ryoko's hurt.'

'Is she with you?'

'No, I am alone. I'm scared, she's scared. I just wanna go home.'

'I know. I'll get us out of here.' Though he did not know how he knew that it was up to him to find a way. In talking to her more he found that they were in a cell that canceled their powers, but they could still talk. Tenchi decided finally that it was the gem that allowed him to talk to her, but he wondered why he could not hear Ryoko since they both had a gem. Ryo-Ohki did not know and so she remained locked up unable to get to her mistress who was in pain.

For some time Washu held Ayeka as she cried until Mihoshi's voice came over the intercom, "We're almost there, Miss Washu didn't you say you wanted to um, do something?" The normal blankness was gone in her voice but she still sounded unsure of herself. Washu just detached herself from Ayeka and summoning her floating computer she opened a doorway directly to her lab. Being this close she could do that now, but earlier she was just a little too far away. Had she been in her lab she could have created a gate to nearly anywhere, but with her lab being so far away she had to wait until she was closer. When the three remaining girls disembarked from the ship Mihoshi escorted Ayeka out of the lab and positioned her on the couch. Mihoshi then went to tell Katsuhito and Nobuyuki about what had happened.

Seconds, minutes, hours or days seemed to pass all the same to him as he sat in darkness. Just sitting around was not what he wanted to do, but he could not think of anything else at the moment. He had tried to summon his Light Hawk powers but they were being canceled by something. In darkness such as he was Tenchi was unable to tell what direction was what, but turning his attention to hearing he strained his ears as if listening for any thing that might provide a clue. To his delight he was granted a clue, in the form of a snore. Directly ahead of him there seemed to be the sound of a light snoring, but it was muffled as if through a door or a wall.

Through the blackness came a memory, back many years ago when Ryoko had attacked him at his school. It was then that he remembered how he had discovered her secret then somehow defeated her. "The gems," he whispered and he reached for the gem on his wrist. 'Maybe they did not notice it.' Settling himself and calming his mind and body he began to concentrate on the gem and discovering its power. It did not surprise him that it did not want its secrets discovered so he sought out how to create the energy ball that she used so often. His hand began to itch then burn so he hoped that it was working, then concentrating on the snoring he flung the ball in that direction.

The explosion left him startled and deaf for a moment then he was able to hear a buzzing, or alarms going off. 'Well I guess that worked,' he thought to himself as he made his way forward through the hold in the wall. Once outside his cell he felt his strength returning and he knew he could summon his power if he needed. He found though that he needed them faster than he would have liked. Before he had made it very far a number of men had knocked him to the ground and were beating him.

Ryoko was in her cell holding her side and wincing in pain. She had never been hit with a weapon she could not heal from, but whatever hit her in the side she found was still causing pain and she felt herself slowly bleeding to death. She tried to hold on, she wanted to see him one more time before she died, and she had to tell him just once that she loved him. If only she could tell him. Ryo-Ohki had told her that she could talk to him and it made her somewhat jealous but it did lighten her spirits to know that he was still alive. One thing that surprised her though was that she missed hearing Washu's annoying voice in her head. Suddenly the pain increased and she felt a burning in her side. Shucking in a gasp of air she called out, "Tenchi!"

Some distance away he was being beaten down and he was about to give up when he heard someone call his name. His mind instantly remembered when that had happened to him before. He took a huge breath of air and said to himself, 'I will not abandon her. I will not.' He could feel the burning on his forehead like before and suddenly the clubs that were hitting him seemed to stop. He could still hear them hitting something but he was not feeling it. From how close it was he guessed that a wing was around him like a shield protecting him.

'I will not… abandon… her….' He said again as he felt the wings converge on him and flow through him. He hissed in pain as he felt the outer layers of his skin burning off. His eyes became scorched and burned hotter then they had in the past. And suddenly everything went from darkness to a bright white.

He screamed in pain as the wings converged on him, and then enveloped his body in a glowing light. His attackers backed off a ways as this was happening. Tenchi felt the ground beneath him suddenly and placed his hands on the floor, which felt cold to his touch. Slowly the white faded away to a dull gray. At first he thought he was going back into darkness but the dull gray suddenly started becoming clearer and he could make out lines in the floor. To the edge of his vision he say a pale white thing slowly come into focus which he recognized as his hand. Sitting up he laughed as he held his hands before his face seeing them, actually seeing them.

As he rotated his hands he caught sight of the red gem imbedded in his wrist and he thought of Ryoko. Moving to his feet he turned around to regard his attackers. There appeared to be just men but larger and stronger than most. All four of them had dark hair and nearly black eyes, cold and menacing. He took a step closer to them and two took of running away while two advanced on him. Without even a second though he brought up a Light Hawk Sword in one hand and an energy saber like Ryoko's in his left.

His attackers charged him, so Tenchi ran at them slicing them both with his swords. As he passed them they collapsed on the ground dead. 'Ryo-Ohki, tell her I am on my way.' He then looked again at his wrist and looking at the gem he commanded it, 'Take me to her.' Just like before he appeared close to her. And upon appearing in the room he felt his strength weaken slightly but he paid it not attention as he heard her moaning.

Racing to her side he lifted her up to him so he could look at her face. When she opened her eyes and he saw her looking at him he felt like shouting for joy. 'She is so beautiful, why didn't I notice it before?' He thought of how many times he has looked at her and never had she looked so good. Maybe it was because he could see again of maybe it was something else but he lost that thought as she gasped in pain.

Ryoko felt him gather her up and she looked up at his face, and she expected to see two lifeless eyes staring back at her. However she found two soft brown eyes looking at her with affection and care. Her spirits soared and she was happy that he looked normal again. In her weakened state she lifted her hand to his face and before it made contact she saw the blood on her hand just as the pain shot through her again. She wanted to tell him she loved him she wanted to tell him she was sorry too, but she could not say a word. Her own vision was getting dark and she knew that she did not have much longer till the wound in her side finally killed her.

"Ryoko! Don't die on me… don't leave me…." He began to cry as her movements slowed and were coming to a stop. He knew he had to do something but just what he did not know. He thought about giving her back the last gem, but his sword was not with him and he could not sense it anywhere close to him. Instead he cradled her in his arms and began to weep as her movements and heart rate slowed.


	6. A Foolhardy Escape

A Very Sad Tale Part 6 - A Foolhardy Escape

Tenchi pulled Ryoko's limp form closer to him as he rested his head on her chest. As he cried he heard Ryo-Ohki again. 'Tenchi! Tenchi, she's fading… I can't hear her anymore.' The grief was starting to overwhelm him and he turned his head sideways as he rested against her. All might have been lost had it not been for one thing. His eyes shot open as he heard a faint heartbeat from her. With the side of his head against her chest he could hear it, though it was slow and faint. She lived, but she might not in a few moments. Racing through his mind for something to do he reached for her hand but ended up grabbing her gem. Suddenly an idea occurred to him, 'If she can transfer her power to me, why can't I do the same?'

Laying her down he concentrated on his Light Hawk Wings and positioning a hand above her body he allowed a wind to appear between her and his hand. He took a breath and said a silent prayer that this will work and slowly he pushed the wing down to make contact with her. On contact the wing wrapped around her form bathing her in a bright light. He rested his hand on her chest hoping to hear a heartbeat when her eyes shot open and her back arched up. The sudden movement scared him but he moved closer not away. With her back arched her head titled backwards so he placed an arm under her head to support it.

As the glow faded he could see that her mouth was open as if she were screaming but no sound escaped and all was still for a moment. 'Oh please live, Ryoko please,' he pleaded mentally to her. He breathed a sigh of relief as her chest rose up and she gasped for air. He pulled her to him crying, 'Thank Tsunami you're all right.'

Ryoko opened her eyes slowly as the feeling returned to her body. She had been unable to tell him that she loved him and as she felt her consciousness slipping away. That all came to a halt as a tremendous burning passed over her body and she felt her side stinging, but quite different than the pain she had felt there before. It almost felt soothing, but she swore she heard him calling her name begging her to live. Gasping for air she tried to get control of herself to look and she what had happened, but as feeling returned to her she felt his arms wrapped around her and he was crying. Weakly she lifted up her arms and placed them around him enjoying the closeness for a moment.

Slowly her strength was returning to her and she tried to speak, but she did not know what to say to him. She felt guilty for what has happened to him so far, yet he had saved her life. Should she say thank you or ask why, or did he do it for some other reason? Pulling him closer to her she hugged him and thought, 'Tenchi, why? Why did you save me after all the pain I caused you?' She did not really want an answer and she was afraid to ask for fear of what he might say.

Her breath caught in her throat as she heard a response, 'Because I need you.' She knew she was hearing things but that made sense, since he lost his sight he needs me to take him home. 'No Ryoko, I need you.' The voice came again and it felt comforting and caring. He pulled away from her so he could look at her and she saw his eyes looking back at her with care and tenderness.

It suddenly came back to her that she was not seeing things earlier, he really could see. "Tenchi, you… you can see?" She brought up a hand and caressed his face as he looked back at her smiling.

"Yes. The wings healed me and you." She threw her arms around him hugging him tightly, as she was extremely happy. What made her even happier was he hugged her back as well. This was not one of her usual hugs where he felt the life being squeezed out of him, it was softer, yet she still held him tightly.

'Tenchi… I'm….' Her fear and guilt returned, but also joy. She felt guilty for him loosing his sight, but she was happy that it had returned. But with her feelings running like they were she could not express it in words.

'I know Ryoko.' He did not know how he knew what she was feeling, but he knew she was feeling guilty. 'You don't need to feel guilty or scared. I'm here now.' She pulled away from him slowly to look at him carefully, as he should not have known how she was feeling. The move surprised him but he let her go gently as she pulled apart slowly.

"Tenchi… how…." She did not even know how to ask how he knew that or even what to say now.

"I'll be here for you Ryoko." He watcher her smile and he thought, 'I'll always be here for you.'

It was in that moment she nearly screamed. She had heard his thought; she had heard what he said, in her mind. But she did not know how. She timidly responded to him mentally to see if it was true, 'Do you mean that? Always…'

He looked at her in shock as he heard her voice I his head. A smile spread across his lips as he responded to her finally, 'Yes. Always,' he told her while brushing her tears away. They moved closer and were about an inch away from each other when a mental shriek was heard by both.

'Tenchi! Ryoko!'

Both jumped to their feet calling out at the same time 'Ryo-Ohki!'

'Help, I'm scared. Some men are here… I'm scared.'

On Earth Mihoshi had told his father and grandfather about what had happened, at least as far as she knew. Both of them though could tell that she was really surprised and quite shaken up over it. Nobuyuki took her to the kitchen to fix her some soothing tea while Katsuhito talked to Ayeka on the couch.

"Yosho, brother… I don't know where to begin or what to think."

"Then perhaps you should start at the beginning. Besides until Washu comes out we have nothing but time."

She nodded her head and took a deep breath, "I'm scared." He raised an eyebrow at that, "You see on the way here I realized that he went on the ride willingly. If he didn't want to go he wouldn't have." He just nodded at her logic. "And I can't think of why he would go, why? I'm a princess, we're related by blood and he should be with me."

"Do you really believe that?" She looked at him sourly. "Do you? Ever since the day you met me in the field I have wondered about our pre-arranged marriage."

"Pre-arranged? I thought you wanted it?"

He chuckled then told her; "I was told by my mother that I was to wed you when you came of age. At the time I was young and did not understand love or marriage. As I grew older I was forced to see things a certain way. I fell in love with a girl on Jurai, but because of our arrangement I was forbidden to see her."

Ayeka gasped and placed a hand over her mouth, "Oh my."

"When Ryoko came and attacked I found myself in a position where I could leave Jurai and no one would come looking for me. Or so I hoped." He regarded her seriously for a moment as he said the last forcing her to smile nervously. "On earth I was just another man, there was no title associated with me other than priest. And so for many years I lived happily until I met a special woman." He went on to describe the woman that became his wife and held his attention for many years. How he rejoiced over his daughters' birth and how she would grow up just a normal kid and not be bothered with titles.

"And then she met Nobuyuki, and I first I was not impressed, but he treated her the way I treated my wife. So he eventually grew on me." Ayeka listened as he told her about his life on earth and how he had been happy and without the title looming over him. It soon became apparent to her that she had been wrong all these years about him. At first she wanted to strangle him for leaving her behind, especially learning that he fell in love with another woman. "The main point Ayeka," he said sternly after noticing her look. "Is that I wanted to love someone for who they were without a title. Ask yourself this, would you be interested in Tenchi if he were not a member of the royal family?"

She felt like he had just slapped her. Jerking her eyes up to meet his she could see the concern there and also a pain. It registered to her that this was hurting him to have to tell her that he did not want to marry her, and he was truly saddened over it. The worse part was his question though, 'Would I like him if he were not related by blood? Also do I want him to love me for just that?' Neither question was one she wanted to face or even consider, but she could not get them out of her head.

In her lab the small scientist was using every thing she could think of to contact her daughter or Ryo-Ohki. But no matter what something seemed to block her. Even her telepathy failed to work. All she could do was pace the floor and hope for everything to turn out. But with him being blind and not knowing if the gem would heal him it seemed hopeless. While waiting she began a few other experiments, the first of which was trying to determine why after giving Tenchi a gem did it hurt her so much. And also if the gem was given to him what powers could he develop. But in the silence that surrounded her during her testing she felt very alone. After a while the silence and loneliness became too much and she made her way to the door. She had only once before been separated from her daughter like this before. And that separation had lasted seven hundred years. She did not think she could endure another minute this way, much less that long again. As she made her way out she also made a vow, 'I promise no more experiments if you'll just come back to me.' With her vow made she opened the door and stepped out.

Ryoko tried to take a step but in her still weakened state she began to fall, but Tenchi's arms prevented her from even falling six inches. "Ryoko, you're still weak from being healed so just lean on me till we get outside." She looked at his quizzically and he did not need any special powers to see what she was asking. "This room is blocking your powers like the room I was in was blocking my powers." She nodded slowly and he led her to the door.

He tried just to open the door but upon finding it locked he summoned his Light Hawk Sword and after just two swipes the door fell to pieces. With a sly grin he helped her leave the small cell. Once outside she felt her strength returning rapidly. 'Ryo-Ohki, can you tell how far away I am?'

'I think, you seem to be….'

"Tenchi, she's about two floors up, I can feel her up there." He nodded and she wrapped an arm around him as they floated up through the floors. Ryoko went up through two floors and then floated with him down the hall a little ways. "She should be in there," she said pointing to a door. 'Ryo-Ohki, can you tell if I am close to you?'

'Yes, very close. But bad men waiting for you on either side of the door.'

Tenchi heard this as well and he silently instructed Ryoko to stand to the left of the door while he stood to the right. 'Ryo-Ohki, when I could to three I want you to close your eyes and take cover if you can.' She nervously told him ok and he started his count but mentally telling them both, 'One.' As he counted he held out his hand and a ball of energy gathered there, so Ryoko did the same. 'Two,' the ball grew bigger and he drew back his arm as did the pirate. When he said three Ryo-Ohki closed her eyes and ducked as both of them threw the energy balls into the wall beside the door causing them to explode into the room taking out the guards that tried to hide there.

They looked at each other and laughed, then proceeded into the room. As soon as she stepped in Ryoko felt her strength draining again. 'Tenchi,' she called out worriedly. He stopped and saw her beginning to stoop over so he wrapped an arm around her and half carried her to the small cage that Ryo-Ohki was held in.

"Looks like this room is blocking both of your powers, so…." He paused as he lifted up his hand and brought his Light Hawk Sword down on the lock shattering it. The cabbit bounced out into their arms as Tenchi then guided them both to the hallway. Again once outside her strength returned, as did Ryo-Ohki's. He smiled as he held both Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki close. The ex-pirate looked up at him and grinned as well. Slowly they leaned closer and just a few inches away from each other a loud voice was heard.

"Don't move! We've got you surrounded." He looked up the hall in both directions and he could see a number of guards advancing on them with weapons drawn.

Sasami was surprised when Tsunami had teleported them away. She wanted to comfort her sister and let her know it was going to be ok. But even the goddess was unsure of how it would all end, but she trusted the goddess. When they left the ship Sasami and Tsunami went to the Jurai battleship also name Tsunami. "Are we going to go rescue them?"

Sadly she shook her head. "No, but we are going to the same place as they. Do not fear for Tenchi and Ryoko they will be fine if they just trust in each other." Sasami just nodded her head and hoped that they could trust in each other. But she knew that anytime they had been close in the past Ryoko was trying to seduce him or Ayeka would come storming in saying that she forbids them from being together. Slowly she turned her eyes towards the direction Tsunami had steered the ship. In an instant it took off in the direction of the center of the Forbidden zone, the center of it was Tokimi's temple.

Tsunami had told her very little of this place or this woman, so she was nit sure what to expect when she got there. What little she was told only confirmed her suspicions from what little she remembered of her dreams. Tokimi was after something, which seemed to be Tenchi, or maybe his power. The goddess had given Sasami back some of the memories of her dreams and they were frightening. In one she was running along only to slip and fall. In the fall she hit her head hard and then landed on something. A pool of her blood then surrounded her. Tenchi was there but before he could help he was pulled away by a large hand.

The meanings of her dreams eluded her and Tsunami. They hoped that what ever she wanted they could find out. But they were worried that this would end in bloodshed. Tsunami was not worried about herself, but being connected to Sasami gave her Sasami's fears for herself and her family. The goddess smiled over the idea that she would actually have a family. In all her existence she had her two sisters there with her and now out of the timelessness of her being she was hit with a family that meant more to her than anything, ad now that family was being threatened.

Tenchi asked Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki mentally, 'Should we fight or run?'

Ryoko considered it and then told him, 'Run, I don't know how much energy I have to fight.'

He nodded and drew back his hands over his head like he was about to strike something down with an invisible sword. "Halt where you are or this place will be destroyed." They just laughed and advanced on them. "Well here goes," he said as he formed a very long Light Hawk Sword and slashed downward so that he held the sword directly out in front of him. All movement stopped for a moment as he did that and a slight hissing could be heard followed but alarms echoing through the hallways.

Tenchi looked at the cut and Ryoko drew a quick breath, "Tenchi, we're in space!" He barely had time to recognize the importance as the air was being sucked out the crack. Metal could be heard moaning and bending as if it was about to break and he realized that he sliced a hole through the side of a space ship. Which meant that all their air was escaping. Quickly he formed a bubble shield around him and the two girls as the guards ran away from them as fast as they could. Just mere seconds after the shield was formed the ship split open and exploded around them. Tenchi thought that there would have been a louder noise considering the size of the ship, but in the emptiness of space the sound was swallowed up in the blackness.

The debris finally cleared from around them and he breathed a sigh of relief that they were still alive and ok. At least until Ryoko pointed to several battle ships that surrounded them. Taking a quick look around he could see hundreds of ships, some of which made the Emperor's ship look tiny. Ryo-Ohki pointed to a planet below them and he guessed by the green and blue coloring that it would be breathable. They started to head for it when a blast from one of the nearby ships stopped them.

'Tenchi, that's a warning shot. They want to capture us again.'

Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer that he still he had his sword, at least then he might be able to protect them a little longer. Upon opening them out of the corner of his eye he saw a gleam of blue and turning to it he was surprised to see his sword, but it was a good distance away from them. He reached out his hand to it reflexively and he chuckled thinking that he must look silly trying to reach something so far away. He realized briefly that it could come to him as his grandfather had called for it before, so trying again he commanded it to come to him. This time it flew to his hand while he still held Ryoko.

He looked at Ryo-Ohki and she was beginning to tremble, holding the Master Key he felt a surge of strength. 'Over my dead body,' he told them with a smile mentally. They tried to head to the planet again and it did not take long for the surrounding ships to determine his answer; soon energy weapons being fired at them lit up the space around them. Trying with all his might he attempted to avoid the shots, but soon they were caught in the crossfire of ten of the larger ships. They did not even have the chance to scream as the area around them exploded and all went dark.


	7. Realizations and Answers

A Very Sad Tale Part 7 - Realizations and Answers

Ayeka opened her eyes just like she had in the past, but this time what here eyes told her she was seeing was different. She was standing in a vast ballroom with sunlight streaming in from several windows. Inspecting herself she discovered she wore a very elaborate and beautiful gown similar to what her mother always wore. From outside she could hear a great noise but it was unintelligible from in here. Moving to a large door she opened it and stepped out on the balcony. The skyline was that of her home world, Jurai. Lining the streets near the palace she was in, her home, was thousands of people shouting something. The shouting did not sound menacing but happy.

Listening to the crowd she finally discovered they were shouting, for her, the Empress of Jurai. Pride swelled up in her as she basked in the joy of her people. Suddenly the shouting changed and at first she was thrown off but then discovered they were shouting for the Emperor now. Looking over her right shoulder she saw Tenchi standing and looking very formal and regal. He stepped up beside her and offered her his left hand, which she took. Turning back to her people she could hear then shouting for them to have long life and happiness.

Her fingers intertwined with his and she felt something on his left hand. Moving his hand so she could see what it was she gasped at the beautiful ring that adorned his hand. Glancing quickly at her left hand she saw a ring there as well. "We're married," she breathed. It seemed impossible but she was here with him and they were the rulers of Jurai.

He turned to her, "It's time to go." And with that he led her back inside. Where he led she did not care, as long as he was here. When he stopped she finally looked to see where she was and she was standing at the door to her bedroom. Giggling happily she opened the door and went in, but she discovered that he did not. Turning back to the door she saw him standing there.

"Aren't you going to come in?"

"Not now, but maybe in the future."

"The future," she asked while looking at him strangely, "why?"

"I can't"

"Why not? You chose me and we're married? Don't you love me?" This was not looking good, but there had to be a reason.

"Yes I chose you and we are married." She looked at him quizzically and it struck her that he did not say he loved her, only that he chose her and they were married. Moving toward him with the intent of possibly pulling him in he spoke again. "I'm sorry Ayeka, but I just can't."

Anger overtook her reasoning. "Oh and why not? Why'd you choose me if you didn't love me?"

"Because," he paused for a moment, "I was bound by blood and honor. I had to."

Her entire world seemed to shatter, after he spoke. He choose her just because of her blood and not because he loved her. "Who, who do you love?"

"That is not fair to ask."

"It's not fair! You're supposed to love me!" 

"I'm sorry Ayeka." She looked at him and she could see a hurt and pain in his eyes that she had seen only a few times before.

"Do you love her?" He nodded and she yelled back, "Then why don't you go back to her?"

"I can't. I am bound by honor now to be here. When I choose you she was so hurt she demanded to be put back in the cave. Don't you remember? You were the one who so happily sealed her back in there permanently."

"No! That's not possible…." Her world her everything was falling apart. He had chosen her so she won, but she still lost because he loved another.

He turned to leave and as he left he told her, "Maybe someday I can love again. Until then I cannot enter there." He left and she was alone, so terribly alone.

"It's not fair! You're supposed to love me!" She closed her eyes and cried out again, "it's not fair!"

Suddenly a male voice called to her, "Miss Ayeka!"

Opening her eyes slowly she saw Nobuyuki standing before her. She rubbed her eyes as they burned for some reason. Her voice was weak and wavering for once when she answered him, "What?"

"Washu's found them! She sent me out to get you and Mihoshi went to get dad."

She looked down at her clothes and she saw that she still wore her regular clothes, and she was still on Earth. The most important thing though was on her left hand there was no ring. She sighed of relief, as it had only been a dream. 'More like a nightmare,' she told herself.

He took her sigh to mean she was relieved they were found. "Come on, she had contact with them for a moment then she lost the contact, but she can still feel them so they are alive. Come on." He pulled her to her feet happily and she walked to Washu's door.

As she walked to the door she thought, 'Do I really want that to happen? Do I want him to choose me because of our blood or because he loves me?' She thought about that and then heard a voice in her head, 'What if he doesn't chose you? Are you gonna be happy then?' She smiled sadly; 'If he chooses me for blood only then is that truly winning?'

She reached out to grab the handle on Washu's door. 'What will you do if he chooses you?' Taking a breath she responded to the voice, 'If he chooses me for any other reason than he loves me, then I'll tell him no.' She opened the door as the voice asked again, 'Are you sure you can be happy with that?' Smiling this time because she was happy she spoke to the voice one last time, 'Yes.' With her mind made up and her spirits happy she stepped through the door into Washu's lab.

Sasami was frowning at the goddess Tsunami, "How come you can't tell me?"

"I'm sorry, but that is on thing that I am currently not allowed to say. But for not you have to trust me. Can you trust in me?"

She continued to frown, but told her, "Yes I can."

"Thank you, I can assure you though that you will leave here knowing more than you will want to." Sasami just nodded her head as the ship neared the temple. All other ships had long been past. There has been no sign of any ships as they neared the temple and now just outside it there were still no ships around. Sasami thought at first that it was pretty arrogant to leave it unguarded, but then again who would try to attack a goddess in her own domain?

When Tsunami told her it was time the little princess closed her eyes as the goddess teleported them both to the central chamber. Sasami was warned though that it might be frightening to see Tokimi, as she has not fully come into this dimension. Appearing in the central chamber she took another big breath as she saw a huge red floating gem in the center. Slowly a man's face appeared with the gem in its forehead.

"D3," Tsunami called, "I am here to see Tokimi. Your assistance is not needed as I feel she is here."

"Very well," it said, but Sasami did not notice its lips moving. It then faded from sight again.

A female voice then seemed to come from everywhere, "Hello sister."

Sasami looked up at Tsunami with a questioning look. The goddess nodded then spoke, "It has been a while, sister since you last contacted me though you have been troubling this dimension for some time."

There was quiet after the goddess spoke and when Sasami was about to ask her about it the room suddenly vanished from around them. Several dark figures rose up from the sides of where the hall had been. The figures were dark and ominous as they stared at the two on the dais. The sky turned dark and the outline of three figures appeared but the center figure soon formed into a very regal and powerful figure. Just the visage of the woman was striking and had she not been used to being around goddesses then she would have fell to her knees weeping. What surprised her though was that one of the outlines reminded her a lot of Tsunami, but the other reminded her of someone else.

"Time is irrelevant and in all of time we three remain. You refer to my servant that came to bring Washu to me." Sasami was in awe of the woman, as she seemed to know exactly what they referred to.

"Yes, but also your ships are after two that should not be bothered right now." Tsunami still remained a calm as ever but Sasami was nervous with hearing this. If Tokimi was after Washu and this other image looked like her then wouldn't that make Washu a goddess too? But she never exhibited any powers of a goddess.

"You refer to the boy and Washu's daughter. I should like to think it was my doing but they were headed here. My ships are just pushing them back. Now is not their time."

"What do you mean their time?" Both goddesses looked at Sasami after she blurted out her question.

"The child does not know, though she is connected to you?" Tokimi sounded genially surprised that she did not know, which seemed to annoy the little princess.

"Sister, you know that I am forbidden to tell them about that. I have done all I could to keep it from her."

"I see. Then know this child. Every ten thousand years Tsunami brings up a champion to battle for the fate of this dimension. Washu has until twenty thousand years ago been bored with this and has not really taken much interest as the champion became arrogant and boastful. Until his own people would turn against him." She waved her hand out gesturing to the dark figures guarding the hall and Sasami gasped as some came into focus.

Several of them look like Tenchi, though there were some differences. A few had different colored hair and some have different eyes, but they all seemed to share a number of facial traits that shared some common bond. "Washu was to create a companion for the champion one of equal strength and the two of them were to decide the fate of this dimension."

"You mean Ryoko?" Sasami looked up at Tokimi then at Tsunami for confirmation.

"Yes, but Washu's plans were thwarted and the champion was nearly destroyed. I was able to save her though through Yosho." Tsunami looked down at Sasami as she spoke.

"Your champions have started the end game early. I tried to send them back on their way but they continued deeper. So now the final battle has come."

"What do you mean the final battle?" Sasami asked all but screaming.

"Sister is it not possible to postpone it for yet some more time? They are not ready." Tsunami seemingly ignored the princesses' outburst.

"That point has long past. They were to be escorted to normal space when they escaped and destroyed one their captors' ships. Now I feel their presence on the battlegrounds, it is too late to stop it."

Sasami looked between them, "What does that mean?"

"Sister you may tell her now."

"In the beginning of this dimension we set certain rules to be followed. One of those was that a champion was to fight for the destiny of the dimension. If he were to loose then for ten thousand years war and pain would prevail. If he were to win then peace would. This is the final battle, there will be no more after this one. We agreed that after a certain number we would let the dimension decide if it were to pass away or to remain."

"So if they win then we stay, but if they loose…" She looked at them both again.

"Then this dimension will cease to exist and we shall start another. Perhaps this time it will survive," Tokimi told her in what she felt was a cold and heartless manor.

"I'm sorry Sasami, but this is how it has to be. Washu, Tokimi and myself may not interfere once they have touched the battlefield." Tsunami for one looked as if she were about to cry at having to tell the princess that everyone she knew were about to die.

She asked them softly, "Don't you think they can win?"

"I hope they can, but whoever dies on this field cannot be restored. If either of them were to die it might puss the other on to win, but it will be an empty win."

"Empty and cold it may seem little one, but this is for all of your dimension, not just your friends. Would it be better to loose one friend than to loose and entire dimension?"

Sasami could not answer this; she loved her friends more than even Jurai. She would gladly die in their place, but now she was not allowed to interfere. But if she were too loose one of her friends for billions of people could she do that? Could she live with the loss of one to save many? She did not want to think of that; instead she hoped that they could both survive. But if they both failed then all would be lost. She would loose but just them, but her sister, Mihoshi, Washu, Katsuhito, Nobuyuki and all of her family on Jurai.

*****

Authors Notes: I have noticed going through this that I have a number of spelling and grammar mistakes. I am gonna go through and remove a number of them before I post the next chapter.


	8. The Final Battle

A Very Sad Tale Part 8 - Final Battle

Tenchi opened his eyes and at first he thought he was dead or seeing things. Stretched out before him was a huge expanse of a field with hills and mountains off in the distance. The scene was so beautiful and perfect at this moment that he feared he might be dead. Beside him panting heavily was Ryoko. The fact that she was here made him think that they were dead, but since she seemed winded made him think otherwise.

"Ryoko, are you ok?"

"Yea, that was just… a little further than… I thought." In her arm was a small cabbit, as well that seemed to be out of breath as well.

'Tenchi, I saw a planet, so we jumped to it. It was a bit far so we're worn out.'

He gave Ryoko his arm for support, which she gladly took then he rushed them off to find some sort of shelter. If they had only teleported away from those ships then it would not take long for them to discover their location. Especially since they were out in the open. Ryoko told him that she was able to contact Washu briefly, but now she could not reach her, but she could still feel her.

They had not walked far when they came across a stream. Stopping for a moment they drank and were surprised to find it clean and unspoiled, so they drank enough to carry them on, but without a way to carry it with them they were not willing to really leave this spot. Ryoko had offered several times to allow her to carry him or to let Ryo-Ohki fly them somewhere, but Tenchi had told them no every time before.

"Why not?" She asked again for what seemed like the hundredth time. While he had been growing tired of her questions he had not really wanted to worry them about what he was thinking so he still tried to hold out. "Tenchi," she asked calmly and as he turned to her he could see it and he could feel her worry. "Please tell me. I, I'm scared." She looked at him and she then repeated the question to him mentally and he could sense her fears easily.

She had never really told him before that she had been scared like this. For her say it and to actually show her feelings he knew that it must really be affecting her more than he thought. Desperately he wanted to spare them the worry he felt, but for all of his wanting to not share it, unfortunately it was having the opposite effect. She was becoming more and more frightened. He wondered if he should tell her or not, but he decided he had better or else she will be consumed by it.

"Because," he paused then told her mentally, 'We need a place to hide. If you use your powers then it might be easy for them to find us.' Placing his hand on her cheek he looked her in the eyes as he conveyed his concerned to her. He could never find the right words to tell her anything before, but with his new link to her he hoped that he might be able to get her to understand his fears.

As he stood there with his hand on her face he was reminded of how smooth and soft her cheek felt when he had lost his sight. 'Even then she was there for me, she cared for me no matter what might have happened to me,' he told himself. Standing there by the water they stared into each other's eyes until she placed a hand on his holding his hand against her smooth skin, then she closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feel of him close to her. Ryo-Ohki hopped off a short distance away to look around so she would not disturb them.

Slowly a shadow passed over them but he did not notice at first, instead he continued to examine her face and memorize it in intricate detail. The past few days or hours that had past since running off to find her had left him with the knowledge that he should savor each moment as they are precious and in an instant he could loose it all.

All seemed perfect for the moment, as he held her. He contemplated telling her what was on his mind, but he was unsure if it really was what he thought. Before he could give this more thought he heard Ryo-Ohki screeching. 'Coming! They're coming!'

Turning his eyes away from her he looked back and saw that there were a number of soldiers marching towards them and what looked like thousands of ships in the air. He let go of Ryoko's face and took her hand pulling her after him. He tried to run away as fast as he could in hopes that they were not spotted, but by the time he got to the top of a small rise he realized his folly. He had run almost into the center of them.

A serene field of wild grass and flowers lay before them with gentle rolling hills dotting the landscape. To most this would be a perfect place to be, but for Tenchi and Ryoko who stood in the center of this field it was hardly noticed. The two of them were surrounded by thousands of soldiers, weapons drawn and ready to fight. Tenchi and her knew that against such odds they did not stand a chance of surviving. Ryo-Ohki, who now was hovered above them in her spaceship form, was prepared to fight but he found no comfort in it as there were enough other ships in the air to make it seem like the blue cloudless sky was actually a darkened sky ready for a torrential downpour.

Tenchi held the Master Key, Tenchi-Ken, in his hands ready for a fight. His only wish now was to last long enough to say goodbye to his friends. Ryoko looked about and she too knew that this was not going to be easy, and even she feared for her life. Her cabbit cried nervously in the air as she shared her mistress' sentiments over this battle. The three of them knew this was the last stand and even if they had all of Washu's machines there would be no escape.

In the subspace lab that Washu called home, she cried triumphantly "Ah-Ha!" She had finally been able to locate them after much searching. She had been having the nagging feeling that she would not see them again, but she refused to believe it. "They have started using their powers again and I located them."

"That's wonderful Miss Washu! Can you bring them back?" Ayeka looked at the small scientist, as did the two other Masaki males and Mihoshi.

"I am created a portal to them right now, but I am feeling fear from Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki, they might be in trouble." She began furiously typing on her console in an attempt to create a portal to bring them back here, but all she could do was create a one-way portal to where they were. All of them gasped as they saw the multitudes of soldiers around them. "This doesn't look good."

As she typed faster an image appeared before her of Sasami. "Um, Little Washu, you… you can't help them."

"What do ya mean I can't! I'm Washu, I can save them."

"I'm sorry, Tsunami says that even she cannot help them here."

"Sasami!" Both Washu and the little princess looked at Ayeka as she called to her little sister. "You are not telling us something." The little princess only nodded. "Very well if you say Washu cannot help then that must mean that I can." She turned to the portal that Washu had created to the planet and stepped through it as everyone in the room yelled for her to stop.

As a number of soldiers approached Ryoko the seemingly impossible happened. Ayeka appeared before them in front of Ryoko to bar their approach. "As First Princess of Jurai and daughter of Emperor Azusa I command you to stop!" She had not held much hope that it would work, but with at least one more person there it might help them. She knew that Ryoko and Tenchi had fought Kagato and Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki had nearly brought Jurai to its knees so this could not be much worse.

"Out of the way princess," one of the soldiers commanded.

She stood defiantly before them, "Never!"

Ryoko's attention was divided between Ayeka and the soldiers so she did not see the impending attack. However, Ayeka did see it and she moved between the pirate and the soldier just as he was about to thrust his energy saber at Ryoko. Her body absorbed the attack and she felt the horrible sting of the weapon thrusting threw her. For Tenchi, Ryoko, Ryo-Ohki and Ayeka time seemed to slow. The soldier withdrew his weapon but it was too late, the hole had been made and the princess was slain.

Despair, anger, hate, and finally rage built up in both Tenchi and Ryoko until each loosed a deafening roar akin to a legion of demons screaming. The soldier barely had time to blink as two energy swords clashed together in his mid-section. Before his body even hit the ground the life was gone from him. Tenchi and Ryoko were lost to the rage burning in them and they no longer cared what happened. Swords clashed and many screams were heard as the two embattled demons destroyed everything that stood. Some were granted a quick death while others lived long enough to see themselves get torn apart. Slowly others bled waiting for the blackness of death to overtake them.

Ryo-Ohki fed off her mistresses rage and she released her own rage and attacked the nearest ship. Some she blasted while others she ripped to shreds with the sharp spikes emanating from her form. The three of them became the demons of old with death and destruction following them like close friends. None of the three were aware of time passing or even if it passed at all, for to them as quickly as the rage had seized them it had passed.

Tenchi and Ryoko stood now in a vast wasteland of smoldering pits and mangled bodies. Some were missing just an arm or a leg, some had a hole or a number of holes in them while others it was hard to tell they were ever a full body. But that did not matter to them. They converged on the same spot, with not a sound being uttered by either of them. Tenchi held Tenchi-Ken in one hand and a Light Hawk Sword in the other, while Ryoko held two energy swords. The spot they met at was the only spot left for miles that still had some green grass. That spot was where Ayeka lay, still, and lifeless.

Ryo-Ohki moved above them and let out a mournful cry that echoed across the land reverberating off the remnants of proud ships that once covered the sky. As he and her looked at their friend they fell to her side crying over her still body. For a second time, time itself ceased to be meaningful. How long they cried was unknown but it could have been mere minutes, or hours or even weeks, but they remained knelt at her side weeping over their loss.

Washu had not had a chance to react much less help, but she now lay on the floor convulsing over what she had seen. While her daughter may not ever remember what happened she was able to see and hear it all and feel everything her daughter felt. She shivered as she knew that just from the feelings alone she would have nightmares for the next millennium, not taking into account actually seeing the death and the faces of the men before they were torn apart. So shaken was she that she could barely register that it was over or that Ayeka was truly gone. Katsuhito and Nobuyuki were unaware of the battle that had just taken place as the portal had closed up just as Ayeka stepped completely through. Mihoshi had wanted to go with her, but before she could even move towards it the portal was gone.

Sasami had felt the tremendous loss of her sister and had turned to Tsunami, she begged the goddess to restore the life of her sister. But Tsunami told her again that whoever died on this field could not be recovered. The grief and separation was something that Sasami had never felt before. Not even when her half-brother Yosho had left she had not felt so terrible. Tsunami knew that she might not be able to easy Sasami's pain yet she might be able to help Tenchi & Ryoko.

As the two warriors cried over their friend they felt a presence appear beside them. Tenchi could not even open his eyes to look as they burned and hurt more than anytime before in his life. Even the movement of his eyes behind the lids was pain. He just waited for whomever it was to speak or strike, as he no longer cared.

"My friends," the female voice spoke and he recognized it as Tsunami. "Sasami has asked me to restore her sisters life, which I cannot do…" Both of them forced open their eyes as she spoke to look at her. The complete sadness they had written on their faces even affected the goddess. "I would like to bring her back if I could but she doesn't wish to return."

"What? Why?" The both said at once.

"She has asked to not be returned, but I will allow her to say why." The goddess lifted up her left arm allowing the robe to hang loose from her arm to the ground. Then dropping her arm Ayeka stood just behind her to left. Tenchi could see that she was the exact same as the Ayeka that lay on the ground save the hole in her chest was no longer there.

"My friends, I learned today that I have always ordered people around and have never been the princess I should have been. I had never had any real friends to learn how to act properly." She shrugged her shoulders as they continued to look at her. "Up to today I never would have done anything for anyone but when you were attacked I knew that I had to act. Ryoko, you have been the best friend I have ever had, and I could not allow you to be hurt. Even now I would not take back that one selfless act. Please remember me not for what I have been, but what I have become." She pointed to her body that lay on the ground, "See even now I smile at being able to protect you."

Tenchi and Ryoko looked at the Ayeka that lay on the ground and she bore a smile and her face was happy and did not mirror any sort of pain. "Now look at each other." They followed her commands and looked at the other. "I have loved you both. Ryoko as a friend and Tenchi I had hoped to be more. But I know you love each other and I have been getting in the way of that and…"

"But Ayeka..." Tenchi began only to be cut off.

"Look at her Tenchi, tell me, no tell her that you don't love her?" He looked at Ryoko and he could not say that. "You love her don't you?" As he looked it seemed that a part of him that he hid from himself became clear and he knew that she was right. "I want you two to live for each other and for me. Love her more then any of us deserved. Take care of Sasami."

The two warriors continued to look at each other and it seemed that the veil of confusion that Tenchi had lived with for so long was torn down. He knew that he loved Ryoko so he spoke to his lost friend, "You're right Ayeka, I do love Ryoko. Thank you." When he turned to look at Ayeka again she as well as Tsunami was gone. The body that lay still on the ground still bore the smile that she had pointed out before. "Ryoko, I love you, I will miss Ayeka though." She nodded her head and slowly they both stood. Even Though death and destruction surrounded them their eyes and minds did not even register that it was there, as all that mattered was that they fulfill their friends' wishes, "To live and to love each other."

Ryo-Ohki brought the two of them and Ayeka's body aboard and they departed for Earth. That was the place that Ayeka had called home and where she was happy, so it seemed the best place to lay her body to rest. 

Tokimi had watched everything with Sasami and Tsunami and she marveled at the destructive capabilities that they carried. "Impressive sisters. I did not think that they could win." The two turned to regard the visage of Tokimi. "I had warned D3 to not fight him and I see it was for good cause. But I see your grief is still too near. It is strange though that before she gave her life it would have been them that died, then they would not have won. With her sacrifice you have saved this dimension."

"She… she did not know what this battle meant. She only went to help her friends." Tsunami was near tears herself over what had happened. It did not seem right for it to happen but without it then there would be no one else. Sasami was on her knees crying for her sister and being connected to her the goddess also felt her sorrow. But she had heard Ayeka's last words to her friends, although Sasami did not. Kneeling beside Sasami the goddess wrapped her arms around the crying girl and tried to comfort her as both cried.

This touched Tokimi, as she had never been before. She could not change the past or bring back the girl to this dimension physically, but she could allow this to take place. Then and there she decided that Ayeka would be able to at least watch over her friends until she felt they could go on without her.


	9. Epilogue

A Very Sad Tale Part 9 - Epilogue

It did not take long for Ryo-Ohki to bring Tenchi and Ryoko back to earth. During the entire trip Ryoko had been going through a number of emotional problems. The first of her emotional problems was easy to understand as Tenchi was having trouble with suddenly loosing Ayeka as well. The other major problem that they both faced was now that their friend had brought them together what should they do? He had finally done it; he had told Ryoko that he loved her. But it had been at Ayeka's death that he had done so. Her death had been to save them, and it had been her that got him to admit that he loved Ryoko.

On numerous occasions Ryoko had said that she loved him. But now that her dream had been fulfilled she was unsure what to do. She did not feel like throwing herself at him trying to seduce him as she had done many times before. Doing such a thing seemed wrong to her after loosing such a good friend and adversary. The pirate had learned to care for Ayeka as a friend, and even though they fought it was a family. A Strange family, but they were a family.

So for most of the trip she just sat in his lap being held gently in his arms. She felt comforted and empty. Though she had devised over a hundred different ways to get the princess out of the way she did not want it like this. In the recesses of her mind she found that she almost wanted to give this up just to get her back. The only thing stopping her was that Tsunami had said that she does not want to come back. And Ayeka had appeared and said that she died for them, to do anything other than what she asked just seemed wrong.

Both of them held concerns for Sasami, as Ayeka had asked them to watch over the little princess. Ryoko had always cared for the girl, as she was the first female to ever think of her as anything other than a pirate or a demon. When she had first met Sasami the little princess had only called her old and not ugly or a demon or anything, she even called her a lady. The ex-pirate could only smile at the memories of Sasami.

Tenchi worried as well about most of what Ryoko thought. From what to do to about what Ayeka had said to actually breaking the news to Sasami. He thought she might already know but he was not sure. He also worried about what to tell the others, he loved Ryoko and he did not intended to back out on his decision. Though it had only been a few hours since he had said it, his heart had known it for a very long time. Even now as he held her it felt so right to hold her, but he did not know what to do from here. Slowly he decided to take it slow and let what he felt for her to grow.

When they arrived on Earth they found all of their friends waiting for them. Sasami was waiting too, but she already knew what had happened to her sister. The reunion had been a teary one as everyone had been crying over the loss. Katsuhito had been extremely upset over the events as well and soon after they had landed he had left them to go to his tree for prayer. If any had followed him they would have seen him weeping and crying over the loss of his sister.

In the next few days they had informed the emperor and his wives of the battle and of what happened to Ayeka so they were rushing towards earth. Washu had tried what she could but nothing she knew of could bring Ayeka back. Sasami had spent the next few days crying in her room and refused to come out or to let anyone in for some time. Of all people it had been Ryoko that had gone in to see her and was finally able to bring her out.

And so it was that three days from the salvation of this dimension that a funeral service was held on Earth and the body of Ayeka Jurai was placed next to that of her brothers' wife and his daughter. Her father and mothers were there for the funeral as well and at first the Emperor blamed Tenchi & Ryoko for his daughters' death. He was screaming at them asking how they could be so careless as to let her get hurt. Sasami had burst in on them looking angrier that they had ever remembered seeing her in the past. "You don't get it do you? She cared for them so she had to save them. Tsunami had wanted to bring Ayeka back but sister wouldn't allow her to even if she could."

Azusa looked at her strangely, "What do you mean she didn't want to come back?" Tenchi then told him of his daughters' last words, but he conveniently left out the part about her telling him to live and to love Ryoko. He had started thinking about this and was almost ready to change his mind when Sasami had told them what the battle meant. It had come, as a surprise to everyone that in this fight the fate of everyone was determined. And even though he had lost a daughter he no longer blamed them for it. He was still hurt and wept openly over her body though.

Sasami did not tell anyone of Washu's connection to Tokimi or Tsunami. Both goddesses' had asked her not to reveal that yet, and she agreed reluctantly. It did not seem right to let Washu think that she could have interfered or changed things when she was forbidden to. But since she did not get a chance Tsunami had asked her to not reveal at least that mush as it would not have changed things anyway.

As the months passed Tenchi and Ryoko were able to share their love for each other and they were finally able to tell everyone about the complete experience. He told them about why he destroyed the tunnel of love and why he had left to go after Ryoko, what it felt like to be blind for so long. And how Ayeka had told him and Ryoko to live for her. The biggest surprise to them was how Ayeka had gotten him to admit whom he loved. But it still did not ease the pain of her loss, nor did it comfort the Lady Misaki when she learned of it.

Tenchi proclaimed his love to Ryoko and he even proposed to her later that year. It had been a teary event and of the girls only one was as happy as Ryoko. Washu had been the one to be the happy about this as well, as it gave her mind something else to think of than seeing the battle playing over and over again in her mind. As she thought she had nightmares for quite some time about it though she tried to keep that a secret.

Just like he was asked to Tenchi loved Ryoko and they were married one year later on the day that their friend died. This was done to honor her and her memory, as well as to fulfil her wished. The service was held with an empty spot next to Ryoko that was reserved for her Maid of Honor, her best friend Ayeka. It was after Tenchi had kissed her at the end of the ceremony and they were presented to the world and Tenchi and Ryoko Masaki that she swore she saw Ayeka standing next to her smiling brightly.

As a part of their honeymoon Tenchi took Ryoko back to the Tunnel of Love that he destroyed so long ago. The park had rebuilt it and had they been paying attention at the end of the ride instead of seeing just Ryoko scaring patrons at the end, they would have seen the nameless demon beside her. He bore a striking resemblance to Tenchi, but no one knew his name. But they had other things in mind during the ride, and as she had hoped on their first trip he kissed her in the tunnel of love.


End file.
